NAVI MUMBAI: An all-women investigation team attached to the Panvel City police station has solved the murder of a 55-year-old woman within 48 hours. The accused, Mohammad Sameer Allauddin Ansari, 23, a local dairy shop owner, was arrested on Monday in connection with the crime.
“This is a commendable example of precision policing by our women officers, who combined human intelligence and fieldwork to solve a blind murder case within 48 hours,” said Prashant Mohite, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone III, Navi Mumbai.
According to police, the murder came to light around 11am on Saturday, when officers received a call about a suspected homicide in a house at Tukaram Maharaj Temple Road, Khandewahal. Upon reaching the spot, they found Sangeeta Namdev Mhatre dead in her house with visible signs of strangulation. Her gold ornaments were missing, leading police to suspect it was a robbery.
Mhatra’s son, Bamesavi Namdev Mhatre, 36, lodged a complaint based on which the police registered an offence under Section 103(1) (murder) and Section 331(8) (housebreaking) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against unknown persons.
The investigators initially faced major hurdles as there were no CCTV cameras installed near the crime scene. A dedicated, all-women team led by police sub-inspectors Pragya Mundhe and Sarika Zanzurne, assistant police inspector Priyanka Shinde and constable Vishal Dudhe conducted door-to-door inquiries across the locality.
“Over two days, the team meticulously pieced together details about the victim’s acquaintances, financial transactions, and questioned nearly 30 residents,” said senior inspector Nitin Thakare.
The breakthrough came when suspicion fell on Ansari, owner of the dairy located near the temple. According to the police, Ansari had lent ₹40,000 to the deceased, which she was not returning. During interrogation, he allegedly confessed to the murder. He told the police she was refusing to pay, so, on the night of October 24, he allegedly strangled her in anger and fled with her jewellery to make it look like a robbery.