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.

Mumbai: A woman has been arrested by a team from Crime Branch Unit 7 in connection with an extortion case. The accused allegedly extorted approximately 40 million rupees (4 crore rupees) from a resident of Ghatkopar by threatening to defame her using an obscene video and threatening her with death. She was also demanding further payments.
The complainant works as a manager at a jewelry store. Between December 2024 and January 2025, an acquaintance—a woman—engaged the complainant in an obscene video chat via WhatsApp. The accused then threatened to circulate this footage to the police, the courts, and the CBI, claiming that the complainant would be summoned for investigation. Fearing public disgrace, the complainant paid a total of 40 million rupees to the accused. The woman continued to demand more money and threatened that if further payments were not made, she would break the complainant’s limbs and kill her. Taking into account the gravity of the matter, Crime Branch Unit 7 (Ghatkopar, Mumbai) laid a trap for the woman who had been demanding extortion money. On October 19, she was caught red-handed at RK Restaurant, LBS Road, Ghatkopar West, Mumbai, while accepting a sum of 5 lakh rupees from the complainant. Following the complainant’s report, a case was registered at the Ghatkopar Police Station under Sections 308(2) and 308(7) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Crime Branch has taken over the investigation, and the woman has been arrested; further inquiries are being conducted by Unit 7, Ghatkopar.
This operation was carried out by a team comprising Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner Krishnakant Upadhyay, and DCP Nanath, along with the personnel of Unit 7.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has intensified its operations against drug peddlers, and in the process, the police have reported the arrest of a drug smuggler.

A case has been registered at the Borivali Police Station under Sections 8(c), 21(c), and 29 of the NDPS Act, 1985.

On October 14, the Crime Branch conducted a raid in Borivali West. So far, three suspects have been arrested in connection with this case. The seized items include: 1) 2,032 grams of heroin, valued at 10,16,00,000 rupees; and 2) three mobile phones, valued at 30,000 rupees. Acting on the directives of Mumbai Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, the Mumbai Crime Branch has launched a special campaign to identify and take strict action against individuals involved in the smuggling, purchase, and sale of narcotics across Mumbai. During the aforementioned operation, acting on secret information, a police team conducted a swift and effective raid in Kandivali (West), Mumbai, on October 14. They seized 758 grams of heroin—estimated to be worth 37,900,000 rupees—from the possession of two individuals.

Subsequently, on October 17, based on information obtained during the interrogation of the arrested suspects, the police carried out another prompt and effective operation, seizing 1,274 grams of heroin—valued at approximately 63,700,000 rupees—from a third suspect. In total, 2,032 grams of heroin, with an estimated value of 101,600,000 rupees, have been seized from the three suspects.

A case has been registered under Sections 8(c) and 21(c) of the NDPS Act, 1985 (at the Borivali Police Station), as the suspects were found to be in possession of and smuggling heroin. The suspects are believed to be part of an inter-state drug trafficking syndicate. Further investigation is underway to identify and apprehend those responsible for supplying, buying, and selling the narcotics.

This successful operation was carried out by the Kandivali unit under the supervision of Police Commissioner Deven Bharti, Joint Police Commissioner Anil Kumbhare, Additional Commissioner Krishnakant Upadhyay, and DCP Nanath Dhole.