Navi Mumbai police crack 8-year murder case after two failed attempts

Eight years after a 55-year-old Mathadi worker (labourer) was found murdered in Turbhe, the Navi Mumbai crime branch arrested his fellow worker for the murder. The 46-year-old “dreaded criminal” had killed the man to rob him of ₹25,000, which the victim had won in a gambling game.

On December 29, 2012, police found the body of Ananda Sukale, 55, a Mathadi worker. Sukale was strangled and his body was dumped in a nylon sack near the Turbhe state transport bus depot in Sector 20.

At the time, police had barely any leads and after months of investigation, they eventually filed an ‘A’ summary report before a local court notifying the case is undetected. The investigation was closed only to be opened in May 2016.

The second time also, police failed to bring any evidence or working leads and again filed the same summary nine months later.

An officer from the crime branch said, “The case was reopened the third time and they got lucky. Investigating officers said that while the witnesses were a few in the case, they were afraid to step forward because of the accused person’s criminal history. The demolition of a slum pocket located opposite the bus depot made the investigation tougher. It was finally an auto rickshaw driver whose help proved crucial in landing the accused in our net.”

What surprised the police was that the accused, Dashrath Kamble, 46, also a Mathadi worker, was not only known to the victim but also had been staying in the same Sector 20, where he allegedly dumped Sukale’s body.

At the time of murder, Sukale had won ₹25,000 in a gambling game. Determined to get the money, Kamble allegedly hatched a plan to kill him. On December 28, the two were in a parking lot in Sector 20 at around 2.30 pm. Taking advantage of the parked vehicles, Kamble allegedly hit him on the head with a wooden rod, said police.

Using Sukale’s towel, which was around his neck, Kamble then strangled him and hid the body behind the wall which was covered with thick bushes. He then fled with Sukale’s money. He returned at 4 am the next day and loaded the body in a nylon sack, stole a parked auto rickshaw and moved the body to dump it near the bus depot.

“We recently received a tip off about his possible involvement. We have four witnesses. He has at least 10 criminal cases against him and people in the locality were scared of him,” said Giridhar Gore, senior inspector, unit 2, crime branch.

At the time of murder, Kamble was externed from the city. He had been externed from the city limits multiple times, police said adding that he has cases of robbery, theft, assault and also for possessing illegal arms.