Pune: A horrifying case of murder has come to light in Hatve Khurd village, Bhor Taluka, where a man was killed over suspicions of witchcraft. The deceased, 52-year-old Ganpat Genba Khutwad, was struck on the head with a stone, leading to his death. 

The accused, 30-year-old Swapnil Dnyanoba Khutwad, attempted to cover up the crime by staging it as an accident, throwing the body into the riverbed near the Gunjavani River bridge.

On September 22, Ganpat’s body was discovered in the river near the Gunjavani bridge, with his motorcycle strategically placed against the bridge railing to suggest an accident. Initially, the police believed the death to be accidental and registered it as such. 

However, closer inspection of the head injury raised suspicion. This prompted Inspector Avinash Shilimkar from the Crime Branch to open a parallel investigation, which eventually unraveled the murder plot.

According to the investigation, Swapnil had suspected that his relative Ganpat was practicing witchcraft, which, in his belief, was hindering his personal progress. 

Known as a "Devrishi" (a local spiritual figure) in the village, Ganpat ran a small grocery shop and was respected in the community. However, Swapnil’s suspicion drove him to commit the heinous crime.

It was found that the two had a heated argument just days before the murder, adding fuel to the fire. After the killing, Swapnil tried to evade arrest by creating a fake accident scene. 

Despite his attempts to mislead the police, his involvement came to light through a detailed investigation and witness statements. Once taken into custody, Swapnil admitted to killing Ganpat in a fit of rage over the witchcraft allegations.