A murder mystery dating back to 2017 found a new twist on Tuesday as police dug out hundreds of skeleton pieces to fit the puzzle of a man missing for the last seven years.
The incident happened in December 2017 under Porbandar district’s Ranavav police station when Parbat alias Gagu Kodiyatar, then 38 years old, was strangled by the paramour of his wife.
On Tuesday, the police used earth movers to dig deep on the banks of a pond in Varvala village for five hours to find 100 pieces of skeletal remains, strongly suspected to be that of Gagu.
Following a tip-off received by police sub-inspector HM Jadeja, the police had detained a 60-year-old man named Bhikha Seja Ulva a few days ago. During interrogation, he confessed to having killed Kodiyatar, and led the cops to the spot where he had buried the body.
The skeletal remains were exhumed in the presence of Junagadh forensic officers and an executive magistrate.
Bhagirathsinh Jadeja, superintendent of police, Porbandar, said, “During the primary investigation, we got to know that Kodiyatar was strangled and killed. The accused buried the body on the bank of a pond on the outskirts of the village. We will conduct the psychoanalysis of the accused.”
Kodiyatar’s wife and the accused were involved in an extramarital affair. One day, he discovered his wife with Ulva on the farm and confronted her. This led to an altercation which took a fatal turn as Ulva decided to kill Kodiyatar. He meticulously planned the murder for four to five days, studying the victim’s routine.
On the day of the crime, he spotted Kodiyatar at an isolated location. He strangled him with a cloth, transported the body in a vehicle, and buried it near a pond.
The victim, a father of four, and the accused belonged to the same caste and worked as cattle breeders, selling milk.
Although a missing person complaint was lodged with the Ranavav police station, the family did not name any suspects, and the police also did not pursue the case.
The police are now looking into the probable involvement of Kodiyatar’s wife in the murder and whether other people assisted the accused in the killing or disposing of the body.
During the remand, the police will seek specific details about the circumstances and exact method of the murder, as well as how the body was disposed of, by reconstructing the crime scene.
The victim’s family members had reported to the Ranavav police on the night of Dec 25, 2017, that he left to distribute milk but never returned.
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