A case of murder and deception has shaken up the Defence Colony area of Gujarat's Jamnagar after a missing widow was found dead in the home of a neighbour she considered her brother. The suspect, who allegedly strangled the woman, had joined her grieving sons in the search before his crime was uncovered.
Rinkidevi Bantu Singh Katheriya, a native of Mathura in Uttar Pradesh, had been building a life for her three children in Jamnagar following her husband's death from a heart attack in 2021. Employed at a pharmaceutical factory in Naghedi village, Rinkidevi was the sole breadwinner for her children - Rohit (19), Nitin (17) and Anjali (6).
The alarm was raised two days ago when she failed to return home. Her eldest son, Rohit, filed a missing person's report with the local police, sparking a search that involved both the authorities and close family friends.
During the investigation, police traced Rinkidevi's last-known movements to the residence of Vijay Odich, who lived in the house below the Katheriyas. Rinkidevi shared a deep bond with Odich and even tied a rakhi on his wrist every year.
To avoid suspicion, Odich also participated in the search efforts alongside the victim's sons, pretending to be a concerned family friend while her body lay hidden in his own home.
"He treated us like nephews and we saw him as an uncle," Rohit said. "We never imagined the person helping us look for our mother was the one who took her from us."
'Investigating Motive'
Upon discovering the body, Jamnagar police immediately secured the scene and sent the remains for a post-mortem examination. Initial findings suggest the cause of death was strangulation.
Officials said Odich has been taken into custody. "We are investigating the motive behind this heinous act," said Jayvirsinh Jhala, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Jamnagar. "The victim and the accused had a long-standing social connection, which makes the circumstances of this murder particularly grave."
from NDTV News- Special https://ift.tt/83lhJVs
