Rangrao walks in alive; cops launch cover-up bid; accused cry for justice

The five accused — Suresh Parchake, Afsar Asis Khan Pathan, Aziz Khan Pathan, Mushtaq Mansab Ali — and one more were first sent to police custody and later shifted to jail.

The police hypothesis took a shocking turn when Rangrao walked into the Wadki police station in Yavatmal district on Saturday night and informed the shocked authorities that he was very much alive.

Tekam, who was actualy in hiding apprehending a flare-up from the girl’s family for the elopement, decided to present himself before police after he learnt from the newspapers that he had been declared murdered.

Tekam’s sudden appearance sent ripples in the entire police set-up and senior officials dispatched a team to bring Rangrao to Yavatmal to verify his identity.

While the incident has cheered Tekam’s family members, it has sent a wave of anger among the family members of the suspects arrested in the case.

Speaking to The Indian Express after having been brought to Yavatmal, Rangrao informed that after he eloped with the girl from his native Talni village nearly two months back, he had taken shelter at his aunt’s place in the nearby Ghoti village. Tekam, who was separated from his earlier wife some years back, hoped to marry the girl and settle down.

However, some days later, Suresh Parchake, Afsar Asis Khan Pathan and four others reached Ghoti and allegedly forced the girl to return home. Frightened by the abduction of his ladylove, Rangrao preferred not to return to Talni.

However, one of Tekam’s friend visited him a few days later and informed that the girl’s father had lodged a complaint in the case following which his father had been arrested.

Rangrao was advised to secure his father’s bail from Pulgaon and when reached there to seek bail he met Parchake in the town. Parchake reportedly confronted him on the issue again and also threatened him. Apprehending an attack on him, Rangrao managed to flee the town.

While in hiding for almost a month or so when he was away from his family, he took refuge at Kalamb, Chandrapur and Pimpri and eked out a living doing odd jobs, before he decided to settle down at Ralegaon in Yavatmal district. He started working as a labourer in the local market when he learnt about his `murder’ through newspapers.

Back in Talni, his father lodged a complaint about his son’s disappearance. Around same time, a badly decomposed body was discovered at Parva village in Yavatmal district. Since the Yavatmal police had intimation of Rangrao’s disappearance, they allegedly pronounced that the body belonged to Rangrao.

A case under Section 302 (murder) was registered at Wadki police station. The investigations led to the arrest of five persons including Suresh Parchake.

According to sources, the suspects are alleged to have been subjected to third degree torture, while in police custody about which they had complained to the court.

All five men are presently lodged in Yavatmal jail under magisterial custody. They now await release and justice for the harassment meted out to them for a `crime’ they never committed. Meanwhile, mystery continues to surrounds the antecedents of the body that the cops had found. Who is it?