THANE: The Thane Crime Branch has solved a 12-year-old murder case, arresting construction contractor and “reel star” Surendra Patil (55) for allegedly abducting and killing a Dombivli resident over a property dispute and dumping his body in a forest near Murbad in 2014.Police said victim Karan Bagul, who owned around ten guntha of land in Dombivli, had entered into a development agreement with Patil in 2014. A dispute over the project arose, after which Bagul was allegedly abducted on October 4, 2014 and taken to Patil’s office in Dawdi, where he was fatally assaulted with an iron rod.Investigators said Patil allegedly roped in two workers, Chandrakant Gaykar (39) and Suresh Degawat (32), to dispose of the body in a remote forested area in Murbad. The victim’s face was severely disfigured, making identification difficult when the body was recovered by Murbad police following a local alert. With no leads at the time, it was registered as an accidental death.Bagul was meanwhile shown as missing in Manpada police records for years, until Patil’s recent arrest in an arms case led investigators to reopen the probe and establish the identity of the victim and the alleged conspiracy.DCP (Crime) Amar Sinh Jadhav said the rod used in the assault has been recovered and all three accused have been remanded to police custody till May 2.The police said Patil is a habitual offender with multiple serious cases registered across Thane district. Patil was in the news las month after a midnight raid at his Dawdi residence led the police to uncover a staggering arsenal of illegal weaponry stocked and concealed within a hidden compartment of a shoe rack in his house.

BADLAPUR: In a significant development for Kulgaon-Badlapur, municipal council president Ruchita Rajendra Ghorpade has been unanimously elected as the president of the Maharashtra State Nagaradhyaksha Mahasangh, marking a proud moment for the city.The decision was taken at a meeting held at the headquarters of the All India Institute of Local Self-Government in Andheri (East), Mumbai. The meeting was convened by the institute’s president and Mahasangh working president Ranjit Chavan, along with secretary Laxmanrao Latke.The Mahasangh represents elected heads of 393 municipal councils and nagar panchayats across Maharashtra, including presidents, deputy presidents, and councillors. Established in 2008, the body plays a crucial role in advocating urban local body issues before the state government and strengthening grassroots governance.Ghorpade received unanimous support from municipal council presidents across the state, reflecting strong confidence in her leadership. Alongside her, Arun Dhote was elected vice-president. Tejashree Karanjule Patil and Mohan Gadge are among 20 members appointed to the executive committee.After her election, Ghorpade emphasized enhancing the powers of municipal council presidents, ensuring better financial assistance, and accelerating urban development. She also stressed improving governance, ensuring administrative accountability, and raising the overall quality of life for citizens.Notably, this is the first time in the Mahasangh’s 18-year history that Kulgaon-Badlapur has secured the top post. Ghorpade will serve a five-year term, marking a milestone for the city’s growing political significance.

KALYAN: A 40-year-old man has been arrested by Kalyan Taluka police for allegedly murdering his friend during a picnic outing near the Khadavli river and dumping the body in a secluded area, police said.The accused, identified as Yogesh Eknath Rane, was arrested and produced before a Kalyan court, which remanded him to police custody till May 2.According to investigators, the victim, identified as Raju Prabhulkar, had gone to the Khadavli river along with Rane on April 20. The spot is frequented by locals for bathing and summer picnics.Police said that after bathing, Rane had handed over his money to Prabhulkar for safekeeping while they washed their clothes. However, when Rane later asked for his money back, Prabhulkar allegedly refused and attempted to leave, leading to a heated argument between the two.In a fit of rage, Rane allegedly picked up a stone and repeatedly struck Prabhulkar on the head, killing him on the spot. To destroy evidence, he later transported the body and dumped it in a remote area within the limits of Ju village in Khadavli.The case came to light after locals spotted the body and alerted police. Kalyan Taluka police registered a murder case and launched an investigation. Mukesh Dhage, senior police inspector of Kalyan Taluka police station said, “Despite having no immediate leads, our team relied on CCTV footage and technical surveillance to trace the accused’s movements. Rane was eventually tracked to the Parel–Nagpada area in Mumbai, from where he was apprehended”.Police said the accused is a native of Waklghar in Shrivardhan taluka and has previous serious offences registered against him at Raigad’s Dighi coastal and Navghar police stations.Further investigation is underway.

KALYAN: The Regional Transport Office (RTO) has taken action against a private car used by Congress’s Maharashtra state secretary Surendra Adhav for allegedly displaying an unauthorized MLA sticker and keeping a red and blue beacon light inside the vehicle.According to sources, Adhav on Monday had visited the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) office for some work when an RTO team present at the spot noticed the car bearing the MLA sticker. On questioning, officials found that the vehicle was not officially assigned to any MLA.During inspection, the team also found that red and blue beacon light was kept inside the vehicle and car also did not have a valid Pollution Under Control (PUC) certificate. Following this, assistant inspector Prashant Suryavanshi imposed a fine of ₹500 for the illegal use of the MLA sticker, Rs 500 for red and blue beacon light and Rs 500 for the expired PUC, taking the total penalty to ₹1,500.Suryavanshi warned that stricter action, including seizure of the vehicle, could be taken if such violations are repeated in the future.Adhav, who has previously served as a member of the KDMC transport committee, is considered a close associate of senior Congress leader Sanjay Dutt.

THANE: A police raid in Maharashtra’s Thane district has uncovered disturbing conditions inside an orchestra bar, where women were allegedly being forced to perform and hidden in cramped spaces to evade detection. The police have raided an orchestra bar and rescued 13 women, including a minor, from the establishment in Maharashtra’s Thane district, an official said on Saturday. Based on a tip-off, a police team raided the bar in Bhayandar East on Thursday night and found women performing on stage, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Sandeep Doiphonde said. “The raid was conducted around midnight following inputs that the bar management was employing more women than permitted and forcing them to perform obscene dances to attract customers,” he said. During a search of the building, the police team found a narrow concealed cavity created to hide additional women, and rescued six women and a minor, who were suffocating in the confined space, the DCP said. Thirteen women have been rescued from the establishment, and a case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita against 13 accused for allegedly endangering lives, hiding women in unsafe conditions and forcing them to perform obscene acts, the official said.

THANE: A 16-year-old boy with schizophrenia has been booked for culpable homicide after he fatally stabbed his 8-year-old sister while mimicking a sword-fighting video he had been watching on his mobile phone, police said.The incident occurred around 2.30 am on April 15 at the family’s residence in Amrutnagar, Mumbra. The girl’s father, a college teacher, was woken by her cries and found his son holding a knife and his daughter bleeding profusely from her neck. She was rushed to Bilal Hospital and later transferred to civic-run CSM Hospital. Despite ICU care for four days, she died on April 19. The preliminary post-mortem report cited liquefactive necrosis of the brain – a complication arising from the stab wound – as the cause of death.The accused told cops he’d been watching a video featuring a man fighting with a sword; while replicating the moves, the knife struck his sister. The father told police the son has for 2 years been undergoing treatment for schizophrenia, a severe mental health disorder that impairs how a person thinks, feels and behaves, causing them to lose touch with reality. The father initially declined to file a complaint, but Mumbra police registered the case on behalf of the state. The boy has been booked under Section 105 of BNS which pertains to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, on the grounds that the act was carried out without intent to kill.

KALYAN: The Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) has launched a structured wellness programme for sanitation workers, aimed at improving both their physical health and mental well-being. The initiative, introduced under the leadership of Municipal Commissioner Abhinav Goel, seeks to address the physically demanding and stressful nature of sanitation work. Officials said the programme is designed to help workers manage stress, stay motivated and improve efficiency in their daily duties. The civic body plans to train around 1,500 sanitation workers in phases. Each batch will include 100 to 300 participants, with sessions lasting four to five days. The first workshop was held from April 16 to April 19 at Atre Conference Hall, with around 100 workers taking part. The second phase began on April 20, with nearly 287 workers enrolled. Executive engineer and programme coordinator Rohini Lokare said sanitation workers often face high levels of stress, and such initiatives can improve their overall health. She added that incorporating these practices into daily routines could help workers lead healthier and more balanced lives. The sessions are being conducted by trainers from the Art of Living Foundation. The training includes pranayama (breathing exercises), meditation and stress management techniques aimed at improving mental clarity and emotional well-being. Sanitation workers have welcomed the initiative, calling it a much-needed step. Deputy municipal commissioner (solid waste management) Ramdas Kokare said the programme reflects a more humane and progressive approach to administration. Officials believe that by integrating wellness into workforce management, KDMC is not only improving employee health but also setting an example for other urban local bodies to prioritise the well-being of essential service workers.

THANE: Around 12 passengers aboard an MSRTC Shivshahi bus had a timely escape after the vehicle caught fire after climbing the Satis Bridge outside the MSRTC bus stand near Thane railway station on Thursday afternoon. The incident was reported around 1.30 pm. According to bystanders said the diesel-powered bus, coming from Pune and heading to the Vasai depot, was stopped after staff noticed smoke coming from the underside of the vehicle. The passengers were immediately evacuated, following which the entire bus went up in flames within minutes. Rescue teams from MSRTC, TMT and the municipal fire brigade rushed to the spot and doused the fire. The bus was completely charred. The exact cause of the fire is yet to be investigated. The incident led to the suspension of bus services from Thane West railway station, causing a large pile-up of commuters. Passengers were diverted to Gaondevi bus station and Thane East bus stand.