The murder of an MBBS student in Yavatmal took a new turn on Saturday after three persons, including a minor, were detained for the crime. Police said they confessed to stabbing 24-year-old student Ashok Pal on Wednesday.
Following an intensive search operation by six different teams of Yavatmal police, two suspects – 23-year-old Rushikesh Savale and 24-year-old Praveen Gundajwar – have been arrested, while a 16-year-old minor has been taken into custody.
Superintendent of Police Dilip Bhujbal told Indian Express“We took the three into custody after zeroing in on the mobile phone numbers found in the call records of mobile towers in the area. After intense interrogation, the trio spilled the truth and confessed to assaulting Ashok Pal, a final year student of Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, on the stretch of road between the college library and the hostel. He said that he had an argument with him after his motorcycle hit him…”.
Earlier, on Thursday, police arrested Akash Gofane (21) and Tushar Nagdevate (24), with whom Pal and his friends had an altercation on August 30. His arrest was made on the basis of alleged threat to Pal by both. and his friends, despite the police making peace between the two sides. Gophane and Nagdevate were later remanded to police custody till November 17.
When asked whether Gofane and Nagdevate would be released now, Bhujbal said, “They will be in custody till November 17. We need to find out whether it was a case of betel nut murder as there was a tussle between the three and Pal. The said incident of controversy does not come to the fore. To be sufficient provocation for a fatal attack. Of course, this possibility also cannot be ruled out.”
When asked whether all three have criminal background, Bhujbal said, “There are two offenses in the name of minor but the other two have no criminal history. However, we are investigating further as he had a knife with which he attacked Pal.”
Pal’s killing had sparked strong protests by resident doctors and medical students across the state with allegations of “political pressure” to prevent the arrest of the “real culprits”.
Milind Kamble, the dean of Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College, resigned after the murder.
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