Thane Couple Arrested for Murder of Niece, Body Disposed in Raigad

Thane, Aug 14 (PTI): In a shocking development, Thane police have arrested a man and his wife for allegedly murdering their four-year-old niece last year and disposing of her body in Maharashtra’s Raigad district.

After nearly a year of investigating the case of the 'missing' girl, authorities made a significant breakthrough on Monday.

According to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Zone III, Kalyan, Atul Zende, the police managed to detain the child's uncle and aunt, leading to the recovery of only the victim's skull.

The tragic turn of events unfolded while the victim's father, Rahul Ghadge, was incarcerated last year.

In the absence of parental care, the young girl was placed under the guardianship of her maternal aunt, Aparna Anil Makwana alias Aparna Prathamesh Kambri, 22, and her husband, Prathamesh Praveen Kambri, 23, in Chinchwali on Bhivpuri Road, Raigad.

Initially, the couple claimed they were nurturing the child.

However, it was revealed that she endured harsh treatment.

According to Zende, being just four years old, she inadvertently made innocent mistakes, angering her uncle, who ultimately beat her fatally.

A relative of the child, Jyoti Satpute, residing in Kalyan, Thane district, filed a complaint with the Kolsewadi police last year.

The complaint accused Aparna and Prathamesh of kidnapping the girl.

The police initially registered a kidnapping case on October 6, 2024, and pursued various investigative angles.

Upon receiving a tip off regarding the couple's return to their home in Chinchwali, a police team was dispatched to apprehend them on Monday.

During a rigorous interrogation, the couple confessed to the crime, admitting that following the child's death from the beating, they placed her body in a sack, wrapped it in a mattress, and disposed of it in a secluded area, Chinchwadi Shivara, at night.

Authorities have recovered the victim's skull and sent it for forensic examination.

Following a court order, the couple remains in police custody.

The investigation continues with efforts to recover any additional evidence.

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