Daijiworld Media Network - Aurangabad
Aurangabad, Mar 16: Police have arrested three persons in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a retired professor who had gone out to attend a party with friends earlier this year.
The deceased has been identified as Rajabhau Subhrao Londhe (60), a resident of Abhirika Apartment in Jyotinagar under the jurisdiction of Usmanpura Police Station in Aurangabad.
The accused have been identified as Vishal Rathod (24), Akash Pawar (32) and Karan Ade (22). Police said the trio allegedly abducted Londhe, shot him in the head using his own pistol and buried his body in a forest area near Gevrai Tanda to conceal the crime.
According to police, a missing complaint was lodged on February 5, 2026 by Londhe’s brother Uttam Londhe after the retired professor failed to return home. The complaint stated that Londhe had gone out for a party around 9 pm with Vishal Rathod, Akash Pawar and two others.
When questioned initially, the suspects claimed they had dropped Londhe near Sigma Hospital. However, inconsistencies in their statements prompted further investigation.
Following the complaint, Pravin Pawar ordered a parallel probe by the crime branch along with the local police. Investigators analysed CCTV footage across the city and carried out technical surveillance to track the suspects’ movements.
During the investigation, police found discrepancies between the suspects’ statements and CCTV evidence. After being taken into custody, Rathod, Pawar and Ade allegedly confessed to the crime.
Police said the motive behind the murder was a financial dispute. Rathod, who worked in event management, had reportedly taken around Rs 50 lakh from Londhe on the pretext of producing television-style shows such as “Love and Dare” and “Khatron Ke Khiladi”. However, the projects never materialised and Londhe had been demanding his money back.
According to investigators, tensions between Rathod and Londhe had been escalating for several days over the financial issue. On February 5, the suspects allegedly took Londhe to a party at Chaudhary Farm House in Daulatabad where they made him consume large amounts of alcohol.
When he was no longer fully conscious, the accused allegedly took him in a car to the Sajapur area near a railway bridge. There, they shot him in the head with a pistol and later buried his body in a forest near Gevrai Tanda.
Police said Londhe was living alone in Aurangabad, while his wife and children reside in Pune.
The three accused were produced before a court, which remanded them to three days of police custody.
The operation was carried out under the guidance of police commissioner Pravin Pawar, deputy commissioner Ratnakar Navale and assistant commissioner Ashok Rajput, along with teams from the crime branch and Usmanpura police station. Further investigation is underway.