NAGPUR: In a chilling case, three second-year engineering students have been arrested for allegedly murdering a 44-year-old man in a premeditated attack they claim was inspired by crime-based television shows.
The accused — Aryan Shende (22), Rishabh Kamble (20), and Anuj Waghmare (19) — allegedly planned the killing to resemble an unsolved mystery, focusing on eliminating all possible means of identifying the victim, police said.
The victim, Suchit Bhojapure, was attacked after the trio offered him help while he was intoxicated. According to investigators, the students smashed his skull with rocks, stripped him naked, and dumped his body in a secluded area near a crematorium on Khadgaon Road.
Police revealed that the accused had closely studied crime serials to learn methods of destroying evidence, concealing bodies, and evading detection. “One of them even suggested disfigurement, saying ‘no face means no recognition’,” a senior officer said.
The crime took place on April 2 near the Wardhaman Nagar flyover, where the trio spotted Bhojapure sitting in his car in an inebriated state. Pretending to assist him, they offered to drop him home. During the journey, one of the accused contacted the victim’s wife, who reportedly declined to take him back due to his condition.
Seizing the opportunity, the trio allegedly decided to rob him of his car and mobile phones. They diverted the vehicle toward Khadgaon Road, dragged him out near a crematorium, and carried out the हत्या.
The case began to unravel when Aryan Shende attempted to mislead investigators, but bloodstains found on his shoes became a key piece of evidence. He was later arrested from his college campus, leading to the capture of the other two accused.
Police have expressed concern over the disturbing influence of crime-based entertainment, noting that at least one of the accused was heavily influenced by such content.
All three have been booked for murder and remanded in custody till May 7.
