Retd tehsildar found dead with 4 bullets in head in Palghar

MUMBAI: A 72-year-old retired resident tehsildar of Vasai was found dead, shot four times in the right temple, at his sprawling bungalow in Palghar early Wednesday morning. Pandharinath Sankhe's licenced .32 bore Indian-made revolver was recovered from near his body. Palghar police, who initially suspected it to be a suicide, were in the process of registering a murder case against unknown people on Thursday night.




The murder took place around 6.30 am after Sankhe returned to his Maswan village home on Manor-Palghar Road from his morning walk. His wife Asha, who was asleep, and security guard Paras, who was in his cabin, heard firing and rushed to the study room, where they found him lying in a pool of blood. They rushed Sankhe to a nearby hospital where he was declared dead before arrival.

Palghar DYSP Vikas Naik said Sankhe's licenced revolver is believed to have been used in the crime. Four bullets were stuck in his head region. Police found two bullets still intact in the revolver.

Naik said that initially an accidental death report was registered at Manor police station as it looked like a case of suicide. However, an x-ray examination showed four bullets had pierced through Sankhe's right temple, and there was only one entry point.

The shots were fired from point blank range. The autopsy was done at J J Hospital and the report is awaited.

Manor API Siddhawa Jaybhaye said Sankhe's revolver has been sent for ballistic analysisif the bullets found on him were shot from the same weapon. Sources said it was known in the village that Sankhe held a licenced revolver.

Jaybhaye said that as the entire bungalow was under closed circuit television (CCTV) surveillance, they examined the Digital Video Recorder (DVR). However, to their surprise, the CCTV cameras had not been operational since November last year. Police are now looking at CCTV footages from around the locality. They are also examining his mobile phone details.

Police said that they are questioning the security guard and family members. Sankhe's son Suhas who lives in Mumbai did not speak on the alleged murder. Sankhe's daughter is in Canada.