Elephanta spooked

Villagers scared after woman's body found hanging from tree; police say it is suicide

IF you are planning to head towards Elephanta Caves anytime soon then be cautious. The villagers on the island claim there is a group of people who has looted and even attacked a few people. If they are to be believed, the goons have even killed a woman.

Even though the police have said that the woman committed suicide, the villagers are taking no chances. They are patrolling the forests to find the unidentified people, who, according to the villagers, stopped a woman yesterday morning and tried to loot her jewellery.


The villagers patrolling the forests in Elephanta to find the unidentified people who stopped a woman and tried to loot her jewellery

Even this reporter and the photographer were stopped on their way to the village from Elephanta by the villagers. "We thought even you are robbers. We can't let people enter the village so easily. We have lost our villagers and till the time we do not confirm your credentials we won't let you in," said a villager.

Villagers claim that the group of men commit the crime and disappear into the forest, which is dense and hence finding them becomes difficult.

"We are keeping an eye on every entry and exit point. We have asked the people at the exit gate of Elephanta to check the tickets of suspicious people. If the ticket is of previous day, we won't allow them to leave," said another villager.

The villagers claim that these miscreants entered the forest during the start of this year. "Last Tuesday afternoon, we found a woman from Rajbunder village hanging by a tree. Earlier we thought it was a suicide, but then her jewellery was missing.

On Wednesday morning, a visitor to the village was also attacked. On Tuesday night we even heard people walking at midnight inside our village. Many people have even seen torch light movement inside the forest," said another villager, who has a stall at the entry gate of Elephanta.

Police speak

Arvind Patil, Senior Police Inspector, Mora coastline, under whose jurisdiction the area falls, confirmed that there were certain rumours in the area and hence, his team, along with the villagers, carried out a combing operation in the area.
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"We even carried out an operation today morning, but didn't find anything. In Panvel, Uran and nearby areas these rumours are being floated. However, nothing is confirmed yet," he said.