Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai (MS)
Mumbai, Jul 25: Six people were arrested by Thane rural police on Wednesday, July 24 in connection with the murder of Dakshina Kannada native, owner of Swadist Restaurant in Dubai, Suresh Nunaje.
It is alleged that the gang killed the hotelier when he put up a fight with them to prevent them from burgling his Shahapur home.
As per the information shared by Sanjay Kumar Patil, ASP of Thane rural police, the gang had gone to Khandoba Gaon in Shahapur with the intention of burgling house. They came across the holiday home of Suresh Nunaje, who owned hotels in Dubai and Navi Mumbai.
Nunaje was alone at home in the night when the gang entered the house. When he suddenly woke up due to the sound and tried to resist their attempt to burgle his house, he was strangulated by the gang. They escaped from the spot, taking with them Rs 28,000 in cash, gold ring, chain and bracelet of Suresh Nunaje and also his expensive clothes.
Though there were six dogs in the bungalow, they did not attack the burglars as they lured them according to the information given by senior police inspector Venkat Andhale.
Suresh Nunaje was about to leave for Amarnath Yathra on July 20. He was accompanied by his wife when he came to Mumbai from Dubai. He wife was in Thane when the murder took place. The parents of Nunaje are residents of Mangaluru. His in-laws are from Mulund in Mumbai.
The police gathered the evidence of the murder through CCTV and other vital clues. They arrested Anil Salunkhe (32), the chief conspirator of the murder, Chaman Chavan (25), and Santhosh Salunke (35) from Bhiwandi. The trio were hiding behind the Navjeevan hospital. Rohit Pimple (19), Babubhai Chavan (18) and Roshan Khare (30), who were accomplices of the main conspirator were also arrested. They hail from Karmad in Aurangabad district.
The accused are remanded to judicial custody till July 29.
Giving more details of the gruesome murder, Patil, ASP of Thane said, "Crude tools like screwdrivers, shovels and sickles were used by the culprits to break open the kitchen window and enter the bungalow of Nunaje. The police have confiscated these weapons, a Mahindra Bolero, credit cards and a Honda Unicorn worth Rs five lac."
Patil also said that 19 burglaries are reported in Thane in the recent past.