MUMBAI: A teenage girl was found strangled in a Nalasopara lodge on Wednesday, sparking a manhunt that led to the body of a young man by the railway tracks in Borivli and the unravelling of a sordid murder-and-suicide incident.
Police said the 17-year-old had got into a relationship with the 21-year-old collegian a few months ago, but the youth-- also her neighbour-- had started blackmailing her about some intimate photos she had shared with him. He was allegedly demanding money to not splash them on social media.
The teenager’s father told the
Arnala
police that she had confessed to her mother about the blackmail on Tuesday. A day later, she decided to meet him and settle the issue. They went to the lodge in Kalamb in Nalasopara (W) at 2.30 pm and checked in using their Aadhaar cards.
The girl’s card showed she was 20, though her family said she was born in 2005 and a student of Class 11. Cops believe it was a fake one they must have used earlier too.
At around 3pm, the collegian had left on the pretext of buying lunch. The lodge manager called him an hour later and was told he was returning with food. When the next call was made 30 minutes later, the mobile was switched off. Sensing trouble, the staff entered the room using a duplicate key. The girl was lying dead.
The police was called in and fear the girl was smothered with a pillow. The youth used also his vest and handkerchief to strangle her. An autopsy report is awaited. A case of murder has been registered. The Arnala cops contacted the families and launched a search for the accused.
Around 5.30-6 pm, the railway police was informed about a young man lying dead on the tracks near Poisar nullah between Borivli and Kandivli stations. He was identified as the collegian and his body was sent for a post-mortem.
"The young man ended his life before a running local train. After the incident was reported to us, we looked for his belongings to establish his identity. We found a cellphone which had been smashed. We managed to extricate its SIM card and eventually accessed the phone call log and reached the family," said senior inspector
Anil Kadam
, Borivli GRP. An accidental death case has been registered.
The Arnala police believe the youth may have got scared after she said she had told her mother about the blackmail and took the extreme steps.
Earlier, on February 27,
Sagar Naik, 29 a mechanical engineer, fled after strangling his girlfriend Savli Sasane, 26. On March 6, his body was found in a hotel room in Muzaffarpur, Bihar. The couple was to tie the knot later this year.
"I appeal to people to approach the police in case of any crime against women. Crime against women is dealt with promptly. Had the mother approached us, such an incident could have been avoided," said Arnala police senior inspector
Raju Mane
.
(Names have been not disclosed as the victim is a minor)
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