Neighbour, 3 others held for murder of paralytic woman

NAGPUR: Crime branch rounded up four people, including a neighbour, for their involvement in the murder of the paralytic woman, in her fifties, at Bezonbagh on February 13. The four accused were handed over to Jaripatka police on Saturday.
According to police sources, Shankar Wasnik, in his twenties, is the mastermind behind the murder of Snehalata Gajbhiye, whose husband and son had gone to Raipur to attend a marriage.Snehalata’s husband Suresh is a retired assistant sub-inspector.
Wasnik wanted to rob the Gajbhiyes for some fast money. Wasnik who works as a driver, had initially roped in two other youths to accompany him. As Wasnik knew that Snehalata was too frail to put up a resistance, he had planned the theft when he came to know that she was alone at home.
Accordingly, Wasnik and the two youths had sneaked into the Gajbhiyes’ house in the afternoon. Since Snehalata was alert the two youngsters were unnerved and left the place. They then refrained from accompanying Wasnik again on the same mission.
During interrogation Wasnik revealed that he then roped in Praneet Bhakde, Birju Sadanshiv and Akash Khandare to help him rob the Gajbhiyes. Accordingly in the evening, they tried again.
While Wasnik waited outside to keep a watch, three others entered the house. As Bhakde and Sadanshiv were searching for valuables, Birju tried to gag Snehalata, but as she tried to resist the attempt an impatient Birju stabbed her multiple times with a dagger. The trio then fled the spot along with Rs 38,000 stolen from the house. The booty was split among Bhakde, Sadanshiv and Khandare but Wasnik was yet to get his share.
Crime branch team under senior inspector Madhao Giri and additional commissioner of police, crime, Ravindra Kadam picked up Bhakde, Sadanshiv and Khandare after Wasnik spilled the beans. Sources also added that Wasnik was quizzed by Jaripatka cops too but they had let him offs.