Maharashtra: Palghar police arrest two for autorickshaw driver's murder

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Two persons have been arrested in connection with the abduction and death of an autorickshaw driver, whose body was found dumped in a ghat in Maharashtra's Nashik district, police said on Monday.

The police are on the lookout for the third accused involved in the crime that took place on August 12, an official said.

The accused allegedly hired a new car, which was driven by the victim Asif Dhochi, under the pretext of fetching their family members from Nashik, Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said.

The victim could not be contacted after that and his wife lodged a missing person's complaint on August 13 and a probe was initiated, he said.

Investigations revealed that the car had passed through Nashik-Sinar toll naka towards Samruddhi Expressway and travelled further towards Chhattisgarh, the official said.

A search was carried out between Palghar and Nashik, especially in the ghat sections from Mokhada to Nashik. The victim's body was found in the bushes in Morchundi (Neelati) ghat with a rope around his neck, he said.

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Based on intelligence input, the police zeroed in on Dharmananad Umakant Jal (24), Sesva alias Pritam Santa Mehar (25) and Kushiram alias Raju Dolamani Jal, all natives of Odisha, the official said.

Dharmanand was nabbed from the forests of Kokadmal in Odisha and the car used in the crime was seized from his possession. Following this, Pritam was arrested from the Nagpur railway station, he said, adding that the hunt is on for the third accused.

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