Bhilwara (Rajasthan), Oct 27: Police in Bhilwara on Tuesday arrested two men — neighbour Ravi Tapadia and his alleged accomplice Heera Sindhi — in connection with the murder of Kamala Devi Kankariya, a 72-year-old woman who lived alone in the Veer Savarkar Nagar area under Bhimganj police station limits and had been missing since October 12, IANS and The Times of India reported. Acting on information provided by the accused, police searched the Kothari River near Paldi bridge, about two kilometres from the scene, with a JCB machine and recovered the woman's remains.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
According to police, Kamala Devi's domestic worker alerted her daughter-in-law, Ravina Kankariya, on October 15 that the house had remained locked since October 12, after which a missing person's report was filed at Bhimganj police station. Investigators said CCTV footage showed Kamala Devi leaving with Tapadia on the evening of October 12. Tapadia initially told police he had dropped her at a market, but investigators found she had not left Bhilwara, and he allegedly confessed during further questioning, according to the IANS report.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
Bhimganj Station House Officer Sunil Chaudhary's account, reported by IANS, is that Tapadia had his eyes on Kamala Devi's gold jewellery, weighing about 15 tolas (yaani roughly 175 grams), and allegedly lured her away on October 12 and, with Sindhi's help, strangled her, took the jewellery, carried her body to the rooftop of his house, doused it with petrol and set it on fire, and later dumped the remains and ashes into the Kothari River. All of these are allegations reported by police and have not been proved in court.
Source: IANS via hi INDiA
What is solid
- Two men — neighbour Ravi Tapadia and alleged accomplice Heera Sindhi — were arrested on Tuesday in the Kamala Devi Kankariya murder case (IANS, Nation Press, The Times of India)
- Kamala Devi, 72, lived alone in Veer Savarkar Nagar, Bhilwara, and was reported missing on October 15 after being unseen since October 12
- CCTV footage reportedly showed her leaving with Tapadia on the evening of October 12
- Police searched the Kothari River near Paldi bridge on Tuesday and recovered remains; DNA testing was planned
What is only claimed
- Alleged motive: gold jewellery of about 15 tolas (Bhimganj SHO's account via IANS) versus a property and financial-transactions dispute (City DSP Sajjan Singh's account via The Times of India)
- Place where the body was allegedly burned: the rooftop of the accused's house (IANS account) versus a house near Chhoti Puliya in Subhash Nagar police station limits (Times of India account)
The Times of India, citing Bhilwara City DSP Sajjan Singh, reported a different account of the alleged motive and scene: that Tapadia frequently visited Kamala Devi's house and handled most of her transaction-related work, wanted some property transferred, and took her to a house near Chhoti Puliya, where he and Sindhi allegedly smothered and strangled her before burning her body inside the house. Singh said divers, a forensic science laboratory team and a JCB were deployed in the search for remains, and DNA tests would be conducted on the recovered bones and ashes using samples from family members.
Source: The Times of India via Visit in Jaipur
Police said the investigation is continuing and all aspects of the case are being examined. The accused have been arrested on the basis of the investigation so far; the allegations against them are yet to be tested in court.