Palghar Police have solved the murder of a 52-year-old woman, Sajani Vinod Waghari, who was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a hammer following a minor dispute in the Saphale police station area. Two accused have been arrested in connection with the crime, police said on Tuesday.

The accused have been identified as Nilesh Dharamaji Chibhade (35), a resident of Bambar Pada, Jamshar Post, Jawhar taluka, and Ujwala Navsu Khutade (33), a resident of Dabhosa in Jawhar taluka, both in Palghar district.

According to police, Waghari, a resident of Adwan Sawarpada in Palghar taluka, was found injured near an iron bridge at Tepacha Pada on October 15, 2026. She was immediately taken to the Saphale Primary Health Centre, where doctors examined her and declared her dead.

Initially, a case of accidental death (No. 32/2026) was registered at Saphale Police Station under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023.

However, during the inquest and subsequent medical examination, doctors found a serious injury behind the woman’s ear, apparently caused by a weapon. The injury had resulted in excessive blood loss, leading to her death.

Following the medical findings, police suspected murder and registered a case (No. 119/2026) under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) on October 15.

Considering the seriousness of the crime, Palghar Superintendent of Police Yatish Deshmukh directed the formation of separate teams from the Local Crime Branch and Saphale Police Station to investigate the case.

The teams pursued leads through confidential information and technical analysis, which eventually helped identify the two suspects.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly confessed to attacking Waghari on the head with a hammer following a minor altercation, police said.

Both were subsequently arrested and produced before a court, which remanded them to five days of police custody until October 22.

The murder case was cracked under the guidance of SP Yatish Deshmukh, Additional Superintendent of Police Vinayak Narale and Sub-Divisional Police Officer of Palghar division Umesh Gawali. Further investigation is being conducted by Assistant Police Inspector Datta Shelke of Saphale Police Station.

Model Shraddha Dubey, a key accused in the death of Lucknow-based businessman Shiva Sharma, has been arrested in Nagpur along with her sister Rashmi Dubey and driver Danish, Uttar Pradesh Police said on Tuesday.

The three accused, who had been absconding since the registration of the case, were apprehended by the Lucknow Police and the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF) with the assistance of Nagpur Police on Tuesday.

A reward of Rs 50,000 each had been announced for information leading to their arrest.

Following her arrest, Shraddha Dubey has been brought to Bell Road Police Station on Wardha Road in Nagpur, where she is currently being questioned.

Officials of the Uttar Pradesh STF and Nagpur Police are present at the police station and are jointly questioning her.

According to the police, a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered at the Hazratganj Police Station on October 9 on the basis of a written complaint filed by Ranjana Sharma.

The accused are being taken through the necessary legal formalities before being brought to Lucknow for further investigation into Sharma’s death.

Meanwhile, fresh details have emerged about Dubey’s movements during her absconding period.

According to media reports, she stayed for nearly 24 hours at a hotel in Taj Nagari Phase-I in Agra.

The reports claimed that CCTV footage showed a vehicle allegedly linked to Dubey arriving at the hotel at 6:33 a.m. on October 17. Around 20 minutes later, at 6.53 a.m., a woman identified as Dubey reportedly entered the premises. The vehicle’s registration number was reported to be UP32RT8043.

During her absconding period, Dubey had released a video appealing against linking her name with influential individuals.

An earlier viral audio recording, purportedly featuring her threatening Sharma, had also surfaced, in which she was allegedly heard referring to complaining about him to a ‘sir’.

Three people were arrested after the Mumbai Crime Branch seized more than 2 kg of heroin, valued at over Rs 10 crore, in two separate operations, officials said on Tuesday.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs, Unit 11 of the Mumbai Crime Branch recovered a total of 2.032 kg of heroin from the three suspects. The seized narcotics have an estimated market value of Rs 10.16 crore, making the operation a major drug seizure by the Mumbai Police.

According to officials, the first operation was conducted on October 14 in Kandivali West after the Crime Branch received secret information about the suspected movement of narcotics in the area.

During the operation, the police seized 758 grams of heroin, valued at approximately Rs 3.79 crore, from two suspects.

The investigation was subsequently extended based on information obtained during the interrogation of the two arrested individuals, according to the officials.

Acting on these leads, officials said that the Crime Branch conducted another operation on October 17 and recovered an additional 1.274 kg of heroin, worth approximately Rs 6.37 crore, from a third suspect.

With the recovery made in the second operation, the total quantity of heroin seized from the three suspects reached 2.032 kg, with the combined estimated value of the contraband standing at Rs 10.16 crore, officials said.

The Mumbai Police have registered a case against the accused under the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act and have launched a further investigation into the alleged drug trafficking network.

According to police, preliminary findings indicate that the arrested individuals may be linked to a heroin-smuggling syndicate suspected to be operating across state borders, officials said.

Investigators are examining the network’s activities and attempting to establish the extent of its operations.

The police are also working to identify and trace the suppliers who allegedly provided the seized heroin, along with other individuals suspected of involvement in the purchase, distribution and sale of the illegal narcotics.

An investigation is underway to determine the source of the contraband, officials said.