Team Herald
PONDA: Ponda Police have arrested Ramanad Budhiram Saha (22) from Devaria, UP, in connection with the alleged murder of his co-worker Akhtar Mausam Ali (30) at Goa Inspat Company in the Marcaim Industrial Estate.
The decomposed body of Akhtar, hailing from Muzafarnagar UP, was discovered from his company quarters on June 16. Police have registered a case under Section 302 for murder against Ramanad, who worked as a helper to Akhtar. The alleged accused was remanded 10 days in police custody.
The victim was staying alone in a room provided by the company while the alleged accused was sharing another room with four others in the same building.
It is learnt that Ramanad and Akhtar had gone out together the previous day of the murder. After Akhtar failed to report for duty his manager made inquiries about his whereabouts and found that his mobile was also switched off. On being told that a foul smell was emanating from his room, he called the police who found the Akhtar’s decomposed body after forcing open the door locked from out.
The post mortem report revealed that Gautam was strangulated. The police questioned Gautam’s co-workers but suspected Ramanad who kept on changing his statements.
According to Ponda DySP Sunita Sawant the accused confessed to have strangulated Akhtar to steal his money. Akhtar was working for Inspat for three years while Ramanad had joined four months back. Both had received their salaries on June 14 and the accused reportedly confessed of killing his colleague because he wanted to rob his money and send it for his (Ramanad) sister’s marriage in UP.
The police said the accused found Akhtar’s door opened that fateful day and committed the ghastly crime by strangulating him with a bedsheet.
After killing Akhtar, the accused stole the victim’s money and locked the room from outside, the police said.
Ramanad did not flee the state after the murder but had not expected Akhtar’s body to decompose quickly and thought he would not be suspected of killing his colleague. Police said that the accused does not have any past criminal record and said that the film Tiranga might have inspired him to break the victim’s collar bone by using a bedsheet.
