Missing for 5 months, history-sheeter's skeleton found in Maharashtra water tank; 5 arrested

PALGHAR: The skeleton of a 32-year-old history-sheeter who had been missing for nearly five months was recovered from a water tank in a residential complex in Nalasopara, Maharashtra's Palghar district, police said on Saturday. Five men have been arrested in connection with the alleged murder.The deceased, identified as Ravi Bidlan, had been missing since January 15. According to police, he was involved in several serious criminal cases, according to news agency PTI.An official from Achole Police Station under the Mira Bhayandar-Vasai Virar (MBVV) Police Commissionerate said, "The crime came to light on Friday after the victim's brother, Pankaj, approached the police with fresh inputs about Ravi. He alleged that Ravi had been murdered by a group and his body was thrown into a water tank at that time. A police team immediately went to the spot and recovered the skeleton from the tank." Police said the family identified Ravi based on the clothes found along with the skeletal remains.Investigators found that a few days before his disappearance, Ravi had allegedly assaulted Rohan Jagdale, also known as Tiger. Police suspect that Jagdale and his associates later attacked Ravi in retaliation, killing him by striking his head with a stone before disposing of the body in the water tank in an attempt to conceal the crime.The skeletal remains have been sent for forensic examination, and the report is awaited.Based on a complaint filed by the victim's brother, police arrested the main accused, Rohan Jagdale (22), along with Karan Shankar Shettyar (22), Utkarsh Anand Avasarmal (20), Shakti Sunil Singh (28), and Sumit Azad Sarsar alias Bapurna (25).All five accused are history-sheeters, police said. A murder case has been registered against them, and further investigation is underway.