Indore: With an arrest of four people including two minors, the city crime branch sleuths successfully cracked six-month old case of missing couple. Based on information provided by accused, police recovered skeletons of Shreya Joshi (19) and Himanshu Sen (19) from Mehandikund, a popular picnic spot near Mhow.
The duo went missing since November 6, 2017. Shreya was resident of Kodariya, Mhow, while Himashu was resident of Dhar Naka. Those arrested in the case have been identified as Balram Makwana, Govind Bariya. Two minors aged 16 and 17 were also arrested.
According to additional superintendent of police (crime) Amarendra Singh, police sent the skeletons to the hospital for forensic examination. Singh said that victim Shreya Joshi and Himanshu Sen went to Mehandikund on November 6, where the four accused robbed and murdered them.
To cover-up their crime, accused covered bodies with boulders and stones after removing all their clothes. The accused took them to dense forest after hearing police vehicle’s horn. They snatched mobile phones, cash, ATM card and a gold chain from duo. Accused told police that Shreya identified one of the accused and fearing police action against them, they pushed duo from hill top in 200-feet deep gorge. To ensure their death, accused descended the gorge and crushed them with boulders.
Addressing mediapersons here, ASP Singh said police were keeping an eye on accused after seven students including four girls lodged complaint with Badgonda police on January 4, 2018, claiming that six unidentified miscreants kept them captive for hours at Mehendikund. The students said that accused robbed them of their valuables.
Police had registered case under Section 394 of IPC and also increased patrolling in the area. During investigation, police came to know about involvement of Balram and three others in criminal activities. On Tuesday, police arrested the accused and interrogated them. During interrogation, accused confessed killing Shreya and Himanshu and their involvement in other crimes.
Police registered case against them under Section 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of IPC.