Pune: More than two and months after, Special Investigation Team of Pune Rural Police has cracked the murder mystery of two engineering students who were killed on April 3 in Lonavala. Police have arrested one man while one is on the run. Police said that they are also in process to trace three more accused.
Dayanand Gawade, Police Inspector, local crime branch, Pune Rural Police, said, “We have arrested Asif Shaikh, a criminal on record, and we are looking for another suspect. The accused has confessed that he killed Sarthak with the intention of robbery. After killing Sarthak, accused thought Shruti will approach police. Hence first they tried to sexually assault her and later killed her.”
Also Read: Pune: Engineering students found dead in Lonavla
Mobile phones of both the victims were stolen while other belongings like bike, jewellery were left at the dead bodies. It took Pune Rural Police two-and-half months to resolve the case. They had to constitute Special Investigation Team to investigate the case. Eight police teams consist of 14 police officials of Pune grilled more than 2000 people including friends, relatives and criminals. More than 1.5 lakh of call records were analysed.
Based on the call records of the stolen mobile phones of Shruti and Sarthak, the SIT traced the accused. Senior Police Inspector and Cyber Police, Sunil Pawar led the cyber investigation. Pune district police had formed multiple probe teams earlier, but could not crack the case. An award of Rs 50,000 was also announced for any information on the murder after they failed to make any headway in the case.
On April 3, Sarthak Waghchore and Shruti Dumbare, fourth year engineering students of Sinhgad Engineering College, Lonavala were found murdered near Bhushi Dam in Lonavala. Double murder of two students sent shock waves among students and local in Lonavala.