Daughter helps nab parent's killers

mumbai: a clue provided by the daughter of the deceased helped the mumbai crime branch team to solve the murder of an elderly couple at dahanukar wadi in kandivli (west) on tuesday. the gruesome double murders of shankar gajwani (68) and his wife kamini (65) were solved in less than 24 hours. joint police commissioner (crime) bhujangrao mohite said : "despite being in a state of shock the daughter helped the police to nab the killers.she checked the register being maintained for the laundryman, motiram, who collected clothes regularly at 6 p.m. it mentioned that six clothes had been given to him on monday and that he had not turned up at his usual time to collect them. "when she checked with the neighbours, they told her that motiram had not collected clothes from them on monday," mr mohite said. "she was suspicious about the involvement of the laundryman in the killings and tipped off the police who subsequently laid a trap at the sanjay gandhi national park and arrested him." he reportedly admitted his guilt. the police also arrested motiram's associate, kantilal rathod (20) and recovered cash, ornaments and other valuables worth rs 48,000. the operation was jointly conducted by teams led by deputy commissioners jai jeet singh from police zone ix and pradeep sawant from the crime branch. incidentally, it is the second operation jointly conducted by these two teams. earlier, the two dcps had solved the sensational mass murders at a plastic bangles manufacturing unit in goregaon on august 9. the mass murders were solved in less than 36 hours. meanwhile, mr mohite has appealed to all elderly citizens to approach the local police station and verify the antecedents of watchmen and domestic workers. it is learnt that in a majority of cases during the past three years, the suspects have been watchmen and domestic workers. "the elderly citizens should also maintain a register with the watchman. any visitor to the building should make an entry and sign in the register," mr mohite stated. according to police sources, the city witnessed 10 murders of senior citizens this year, 22 last year, 18 in 1999 and 19 in 1998.