No breakthrough in Kolhapur murders

The investigators suspect the involvement of two waiters, who later were identified as D. Sriniwas and Girish, working with a tea stall run by the son of the old couple, although no clear motive behind the crime could be found immediately. Both were reported missing from early Wednesday. The police, however, were probing all the possibilities, Waghmale said.

Police confiscated some notebooks and other documents belonging to Sriniwas and were trying to decipher the records in it, he said. Police were also making sketches of the suspects which would be circulated to his counterparts at other places, Waghmale added.

Rambhau was assaulted with a blunt object in the bedroom in his single-storeyed house. Anasuya was gagged using her padar and strangled with a nylon string and was lying in a pool of blood in the kitchen. The kitchen scene suggested that Anusuya offered a stiff resistance, police said. Ankita was strangled in the bed. She had come to stay with her grandparents only a few days back. Her father owns a powerloom in Ichalkaranji.

Blood stains were found on the walls of the bedroom while a bunch of currency notes and other things were laying near the bed. Police also found a hand glove in one of the rooms, it was stated.

The police dog which was summoned did not lead the investigators anywhere while another trained dog belonging to control room PI L.N. Shinde led the police to a junction near the Central Bus Stand. SP Madhav Sanap, Dy SP P. Budhwant and other senior police officials visited the spot.

The Divates were staying with their son Ramesh after they lost their elder son Nandkumar in a road accident four years ago. Incidentally, yesterday was his death anniversary. Their younger son also had died about one-and-a-half years ago.