Engg student charged with murder after he stabs Uber driver: Police

Officials from Otur police station said Ansari was reported missing by his family members on March 6 after he did not return home from a trip. Ansari’s body was found with a stab wound on March 7 within the limits of Sitewadi village in Junnar taluka of Pune district in the Ganeshkhind Ghat. A case of murder was registered at Otur police station.

After the case was registered, Otur Police began investigating the crime under the guidance of senior officers. During the investigation, information was obtained from the Uber company regarding the Ertiga car driver by Ansari. It was revealed that on March 5 around 3 pm, the vehicle had been booked through the Uber app by Bhalerao for a trip from Titwala to Junnar. Police probe revealed Bhalerao was travelling to Junnar to further go to Indapur to meet someone.

When the GPS data of the car was checked, it was found that instead of reaching Junnar, the car had travelled to a location close to where the body was later discovered, then turned back and stopped near Titwala. After the vehicle was found abandoned and large blood stains were discovered inside, the Local Crime Branch of Thane Rural Police conducted an inquiry even before the case was formally registered. Their investigation indicated that Adarsh Bhalerao had committed the crime. He was taken into custody on March 8 during which he confessed to the offence.

“Investigation revealed that after Bhalerao booked the Uber ride, Ansari travelled via Malshej Ghat and reached Ganeshkhind Ghat in Sitewadi village. At this point Ansari stopped to go to the bathroom. After returning to the driver’s seat, Ansari allegedly closed the car windows and demanded money from Bhalerao at knife point. When the accused refused to give money, a scuffle broke out inside the car,” said Assistant Inspector Lahu Thate of Otur police station.

“During the struggle, the accused snatched the knife from the driver and stabbed him in the neck. He then dragged the victim to the rear seat and repeatedly stabbed him, killing him inside the car. He pulled the body out of the car and threw it down a cement embankment on the left side of the road leading toward Sitewadi.

The accused then drove the victim’s car through Malshej Ghat back toward Titwala, and abandoned it on the roadside between Titwala and Goveli in Thane district, after which he fled.” Thate added. Bhalerao has been in police custody until March 12.

When asked if the argument of self defence can be made by the accused, an officer from Pune Rural police said that their probe will reveal all the facts of the case and accordingly a chargesheet will be submitted before the court.