Pet feed label helps cops crack hotelier’s murder in 12 hours

Nagpur: The murder of 38-year-old hotelier, Rahul Shahu, was cracked within 12 hours after police traced the source of the label of puppy chicken milk (pet feed) on the sack used to dispose of the body near Nara crematorium.The breakthrough, shortly after Wednesday midnight, led Jaripatka police straight to the accused, a pet shop owner-turned-rickshaw driver, Naveen Pundkar, who confessed to killing the hotel owner after the latter allegedly made derogatory proposals for his teenage daughter to waive Rs 35,000 interest on a loan.The probe took a decisive turn when senior inspector Anil Takshande and his team spotted a printed label on one of the sacks — a discarded puppy milk pouch from a local pet shop. Realising this could be the vital clue, officers launched a swift search for pet shops in Jaripatka area that stocked such pouches.A pet shop in Jaripatka was found closed, but residents identified the owner as Navin from Nara. Police zeroed in on Naveen Pundkar, 46, an e-rickshaw driver residing in Kohinoor Society, Nara, in north Nagpur.During interrogation, Pundkar told investigators that Shahu lent him money (35,000) at a high interest. After he repaid the principal and interest, Shahu allegedly continued to harass him and made derogatory comments about his teenage daughter, offering to waive the 35,000 interest in exchange for "favours", said police.An angry Pundkar lured Shahu to his rented house in Nara on April 20. Shahu kept his scooter near a convention centre on Kamptee Road and went to Pundkar's house.As Pundkar's wife and daughter were away, the two were discussing the matter when a heated argument erupted. In a fit of rage, Pundkar stabbed him repeatedly before wrapping the body in a red blanket before stuffing it into two sacks. He then went about his regular e-rickshaw duty to avoid suspicion before deciding to dump the body late at night under the Nara Ghat bridge after Monday midnight. The puppy milk sack, which he picked from his own pet shop stock, became the key evidence that unravelled the case.As per police, Shahu, who ran a hotel at Acharaj Tower in Zingabai Takli, was murdered on April 20. His elder brother Lucky filed a missing report at Sadar police station the next day. On April 22, locals alerted cops after a foul smell came near Nara Ghat. The decomposed body was recovered from a drain under the bridge at Nara Ghat. An autopsy revealed 16 stab wounds on the body, including deep injuries on forehead, confirming a frenzied attack. Police identified Shahu through the ‘Om Sairam' tattoo on his left hand. The accused has been arrested and produced before court, which remanded him in police custody till April 26.
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