Maharashtra: Palghar man kills son-in-law after dispute

The police on Wednesday said that a 75-year-old man allegedly axed to death his son-in-law in Maharashtra`s Palghar district following a monetary dispute and then fled, reported news agency PTI.

The incident took place in the Wada area on the intervening night of Monday-Tuesday.

The 42-year-old deceased used to take money from people promising to get them jobs but would not fulfil it.

He had also taken money from his father-in-law due to which the latter got annoyed and there used to be frequent quarrels between them, Wada police station`s senior inspector Dattatreya Kindre said, reported PTI.

During one such fight two months back, the accused attacked his son-in-law with a sickle and a case was then registered with the police.

On the intervening night of Monday-Tuesday, the accused went to the house of his son-in-law and when he was fast asleep, the accused allegedly attacked him with an axe and fled, the official said, reported PTI.

After being alerted, the police rushed to the spot and sent the body to a government hospital for post-mortem.

Based on a complaint by a relative of the deceased, the police on Tuesday registered an FIR against the accused under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the official said, reported PTI.

Efforts were on to nab the accused, the police added.

Woman and boyfriend hammer cab driver to death for blackmailing, surrender

In another case, a 19-year-old private sector employee from Navi Mumbai and her boyfriend allegedly killed a cab driver with a hammer after he blackmailed her with a video and demanded sexual favours, an official said on Tuesday, reported PTI.

The accused duo was arrested after they surrendered before police in Sangamner in Ahilya Nagar district on April 6, following which Navi Mumbai Police was informed about the murder, reported PTI.

The deceased, identified as Surendra Pandey (43), was a cab driver for the accused woman, Rhea Sarkanysingh, reported PTI.

Originally from Punjab, Rhea had recently moved to Ulwe in Navi Mumbai. She had secured a job in a private firm, where she met Vishal Shinde (21), the official said, reported PTI.

Pandey had offered Rhea accommodation as she was searching for a place to stay. On April 2, Shinde visited Rhea, and during their time together, Pandey secretly recorded a video of the couple. He then began blackmailing Rhea and demanding sexual favours, the official stated.

Rhea confided in Shinde about the blackmail, which led to a confrontation. In the ensuing scuffle, the two allegedly killed Pandey by striking him on the head with a hammer, police said, reported PTI.

After the murder, the pair fled the scene in a cab and drove to Pune, where they were involved in a minor accident.

They travelled to Sangamner, Shinde`s hometown, where they informed his parents about the crime. Shinde`s parents persuaded them to surrender to the police, the official said.

The duo surrendered at the Sangamner police station, after which the local police alerted Navi Mumbai Police. Upon visiting Pandey`s residence, the police discovered his decomposed body, reported PTI.

Both accused have been arrested and brought to Navi Mumbai. They are currently in police custody until April 15, and further investigations are underway, the official said.

(With inputs from PTI)