IN A spine-chilling case of murder, three engineering students allegedly murdered a 44-yearold merchant for his car and dumped his naked body in bushes near a crematorium area. The brutal incident took place under the Wadi Police Station limits. The case was solved within 12 hours by Crime Branch Unit 1. The accused have been identified as Aryan Naresh Shende (22), Rishank Taresh Kamble (20), and Anuj Ramesh Waghmare (19), all second-year engineering students of KDK College. The deceased, Suchit Upasrao Bhojapure (44), was a spare parts businessman and a resident of Wadi. According to police, the trio had appeared for their examinations on Thursday morning. Around 11 am, they were travelling on a moped when they spotted Bhojapure sitting alone in his car on Wardhaman Nagar bridge in a heavily intoxicated condition.

 

After briefly leaving the spot, they returned and found him still in the same state, with one leg hanging outside the car The police said that the students approached him and offered help. Bhojapure requested them to drop him at a distant location. Sensing an opportunity, the trio began accompanying him. They later picked up Anuj again and started driving towards the outskirts. During the journey, Bhojapure realised that some of his belongings were missing and asked them to take him home in Wadi. The accused even contacted his wife, who initially asked them to bring him home. However, when they reached his house, it was locked. They called again to his wife but she refused and disconnected the call. By evening, the trio drove Bhojapure towards a secluded stretch near Lava crematorium on Khadgaon Road. Police said, the three students, tempted by the car, planned to steal it.

 

Taking advantage of his intoxicated condition, they attacked him with a stone, hitting his head repeatedly. Bhojapure died on the spot after being struck multiple times. The accused then removed his clothes and threw his naked body into nearby bushes to hide evidence. They fled with his car and two mobile phones. The crime came to light after police received information about a suspicious vehicle and a missing person. Acting swiftly, Crime Branch officials traced the accused and arrested them within hours. Police officials described the act as “cold-blooded and preplanned,” adding that further investigation is underway.