Murder probe stuck due to discrepancies

Mumbai: The investigation into the murder of Atharva Shinde (20), a Mumbai police officer’s son, is stuck due to discrepancies in statements of over two dozen people who were also present at the party in bungalow number 212, Aarey Colony, on the night of May 7. Atharva’s body was found near an adjoining lake on May 9.

The Mumbai crime branch is now pinning its hopes on Atharva’s female friend whom he accompanied to the party and who has been admitted to hospital for “severe dehydration” ever since the tragedy occurred.

The crime branch has also decided to reconstruct the sequence of events that unfolded on the intervening night of May 6 and May 7 to ascertain the role and location of each of the 32 people who attended the party on the night of May 7.

Officials are however tightlipped about the specifics of the discrepancies in the statements of all those who have been questioned.until now.

A crime branch officer said, “We have started recording the statements of all the youngsters again to get some clarity on what happened. The autopsy report stands the same as was. The statement of the girl who has been admitted to hospital is yet to be recorded.”

The autopsy report has revealed multiple injuries on Atharva’s body, contortion marks near his ribs, and a deep cut on his private parts. The police is scanning the CCTV footage of the premises and the neighbourhood.