Mumbai cop’s son murdered: Police question 15 youngsters who went to the party

The Aarey police on Friday recorded the statements of 15 youngsters in connection with the death of 20-year-old Atharva Shinde, the son of a Mumbai police inspector.

These youngsters were present at the party on May 7, at an Aarey Colony bungalow, where Atharva had gone before he was found dead. They have been allowed to leave.

All of them were subjected to a medical test to ascertain if they consumed drugs or alcohol. Although the reports are awaited, some of the youngsters and their family members admitted they had consumed drugs and alcohol at the party, said an official. Speaking to HT, a father of one of the youngsters said, “My son consumed drugs. He said many others at the party also consumed different types of drugs.”

One of the youngsters told HT that it was a harrowing experience being questioned by the police for hours. “It was like a nightmare. At least five to ten officers were shooting several questions at me. I told them the whole truth. There was a fight there which scared me and I stayed away from the whole fracas,” said the youngster who had managed to get a rickshaw driver to call his father. His father then guided the driver who dropped the youngster home. “I was high. Thankfully, I got some help,” he said.

Atharva had gone to the party on the night of May 7 but left the next day around 7am. CCTV footage shows Atharva moving around in the area in an inebriated condition and vomiting several times. He then collapsed around noon and died.

At least two to three people saw him in a disturbed state but no one helped him. His body was found at 9am on Wednesday by his father.

Atharva had several injuries to his chest, face and head. Based on the post-mortem report, a murder case was registered.

The police learnt that there was a fight at the party but the sequence of events that took place after Atharva left the bungalow has startled them.