Murder in Fetri hotel: Beat officer suspended

Nagpur: In a major development in the murder of a 21-year-old woman at a Fetri hotel under Kalmeshwar police limits last week, an assistant sub-inspector (ASI) serving as the area beat officer has been suspended for alleged dereliction of duty.The victim, Ruchita Bhange, a final-year BA student from Borgaon in Nagpur, was stabbed to death at the hotel, allegedly by her jilted lover, 25-year-old Saurabh alias Bittu Jamgade from Ashti.The couple had checked into the hotel amid ongoing relationship disputes. During a heated altercation, the accused allegedly stabbed Ruchita in the neck, killing her instantly. Authorities recovered a knife at the scene.Investigations revealed that the hotel's operating licence had expired, yet it continued to function. The beat officer, responsible for monitoring such establishments, failed to enforce compliance or stop operations despite the lapse.Following the murder, the hotel management was named co-accused for allegedly facilitating the crime by running the establishment illegally.The accused Jamgade, along with a friend who allegedly assisted him, has been arrested. Police sources stated that the ASI's suspension is aimed at ensuring accountability in preventive policing. Kalmeshwar police continue to probe further, including how the expired licence went unchecked.