Two months after the body of a Nashik man was found in a river in Palghar district of Maharashtra, the police officials were yet to achieve a breakthrough in the Palghar murder case and have now announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to the arrest of the accused, reported the PTI.

After the discovery of the body in July in the Vaitarna river in Mokhada taluka, the victim was later identified as Sharad Kondaji Bodke (31), a resident of Igatpuri town in Nashik district in north Maharashtra, around 150 km from Palghar, police said on Wednesday.

Police officials confirmed that preliminary investigations suggest the man was killed by unidentified assailants, who then dumped his body in the river to conceal the crime.

According to a Mokhada police station official, “The crime scene lies in a deserted riverbed area, surrounded by thick vegetation and with minimal movement of people or vehicles, making it a vulnerable spot for such acts,” as per the PTI.

After registering a case of murder against unidentified persons and launching a probe, police were yet to get clues to trace the perpetrators.

In order to encourage cooperation from citizens to take forward their probe, police have announced a cash reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to the breakthrough in the case, said the official, according to the PTI.

Police sources revealed that the Vaitarna river stretch near Mokhada has witnessed similar incidents in the past. On July 12, 2025, the body of an unidentified man was recovered under the Koregaon Vaitarna bridge. Earlier, on February 3, 2024, an unidentified woman`s body was also found in the same location.

Meanwhile, in an another incident, a woman was found dead in a village in Wada taluka of Palghar district, with the police suspecting it to be a case of murder for robbery, reported the PTI.

The body of the woman, identified as 63-year-old Sangeeta Bhagoji Patil, was found on Tuesday evening in Kone village, an official said on Wednesday.

She was a resident of the village and had been reported to be missing a few days back, he said.

“It is suspected that she was murdered for her necklace and earrings as these objects were missing,” the official said, according to the PTI.

A case has been registered at the Wada police station and her body was sent to J J Hospital in Mumbai for a post-mortem examination, he said.

(with PTI inputs)

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