Daijiworld Media Network - Navi Mumbai

Navi Mumbai, Nov 11: A 90-year-old widow, identified as Hirabai Janardhan Joshi, was found dead under suspicious circumstances at her residence in Mothe Bhom village, near Chirner in Uran taluka, late on Sunday night. Police said the elderly woman had suffered severe head injuries and was discovered lying in a pool of blood inside her home.

According to Senior Inspector Hanif Mulani of Uran Police Station, the discovery was made around 1:25 a.m. in the third room of her three-room house. Hirabai, who lived alone, was regularly visited by her late husband’s nephew, who brought her food daily. It was he who found her body and reported the matter to the police. The family includes three married daughters, while her only son passed away earlier; his widow and son currently live in Chirner village.

Initially, the nephew suggested that Hirabai might have fallen and sustained fatal head injuries. As there were no eyewitnesses or CCTV cameras in the area, police registered a case of accidental death (ADR).

However, forensic experts and investigation teams were called to the scene for a detailed examination. During the inspection, officers recovered a broken wooden stick from the house, though it showed no visible traces of blood. The door of the room where Hirabai was found was locked from inside, and no valuables or cash were reported missing, ruling out theft as a motive.

Inspector Mulani said the post-mortem was conducted at Panvel Sub-District Hospital, and the preliminary medical findings have raised doubts about the nature of her injuries. “We are awaiting the official post-mortem certificate, which will determine our next course of legal action,” he added.

Police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Hirabai’s death to determine whether it was an accident or foul play.