Pune: The Pune rural police have solved the sensational Lonavla double murder case of a male and female engineering student of Sinhgad College after two-and-a-half months.
One person has been arrested, while the second is on the run. The suspects have been identified as Asif Shaikh and Salim Shaikh alias Sandy, both residents of Lonavla. The police said that robbery was the motive behind the crime.
The bodies of Sarthak Wakchoure (22) and Shruti Dumbre (21) were found in a forest near INS Shivaji on April 3. The bodies were found naked with hands tied behind their backs.
The students were bludgeoned to death with a blunt object. The police officials said injury marks were found on the girl’s body. The preliminary post-mortem report did not indicate sexual assault.
After their parents protested against the lackadaisical attitude of the police in solving the case, Pune rural police formed a special investigation team (SIT) last month to solve the case and a reward of Rs 50,000 was also announced. A team of top notch experts from various fields including Police Inspectors Ram Jadhav, Sunil Pawar and Sunil Patil were working together to crack the case. Finally based on technical evidence, cops traced one of the suspects.
Sources said that the accused had accosted the victims for robbery. They also tried to rape Shruti, but she fought back. Vishwas Nangre Patil, Special Inspector General (IGP), Kolhapur Range, said, “We have arrested one person who has theft cases registered against him in the past.” Pune rural SP Suvez Haque told Sakal Times, “SIT is doing its best. Investigation is on.”
Sarthak and Shruti were final-year students of Sinhgad Engineering College, Lonavla. According to Shruti’s friend, Sarthak and she had planned the outing. Shruti, who lived in the campus hostel, had told her friends that she was going out and would return late. Sarthak’s friend said the victim was an artist, who aspired to serve the country by joining the defence forces.
