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| Police investigating the murder at the bungalow in Model Town |
Police claim that they are very close to unravelling the mystery surrounding the death of Laxmibai Narayankar that has sent shock waves across the suburbs
Gayathri Thakoor, Mulund
Mystery shrouds the brutal murder of senior citizen, Laxmibai Narayankar, at her residence in 29/2 Model Town, an affluent area in Mulund west. As local police teams from Mulund, and from crime branch, Ghatkopar are trying to crack the sensational case, various clues make the investigators believe that the reasons for Narayankar’s death are getting clearer. Heavy interrogation was going on this week at the Mulund police station until the wee hours.
Theft may not have been the main motive. At the time of going to the press, Senior Inspector, Vivek Gogi, from Mulund police station, says, “We are on the right track, and we are not ready to disclose the details as yet. But we are certain that whoever the assailant was, was known to her which was why she allowed him in.” Two used cups that were later found by the police in the kitchen of the bungalow also reflects that Narayankar had shared her evening’s tea just before she was hacked to death.
Narayankar was found in her toilet on the night of December 17, by her children, Meena Darvesh and Devdas Narayankar. She was declared dead by her neighbour, Dr Mane, who reached the site immediately at around 1 am. Narayankar was lying on her back, with her throat slit and minor injuries on her cheeks and face. Her four gold bangles and a gold chain that was totally worth Rs37,500 and a nose stud which she wore permanently, were the only valuables missing.
From the daughter’s revelations to the police, several loopholes can be noted. Meena could have got her set of keys to the house when she left for Mulund from Khoparkhairane, as the crime branch points out to her, especially when she had been informed by neighbours on phone that the house was found locked from outside. Meena insists that it had slipped her mind. Further, instead of calling her brother, Devdas, from Chembur for the other set of keys, she went all the way to pick him up in her car. Eventually, by the time the duo reached the house with the keys, it was past midnight. A search showed that doors that were normally barely closed were found latched, curtains were drawn and the rest of the house appeared as usual.
Talking to Meena also reveals that all was not well between her and her brother, Devdas. When asked, Meena abruptly said, “I wouldn’t want to comment on that.” Devdas was not available for comment. The house was legally in Devdas’s name, and in spite of her shaded response, Meena insists, “There was absolutely no property dispute.” To cover all possible angles, the electrician, the cable guy etc were questioned.
Narayankar’s bungalow appears neglected as compared to the other bungalows occupied by others. “She was a soft target, especially, because she was living alone after the death of her husband and she didn’t use the services of any domestic servant,” observes Gogi.
Inspector Prakash Patil from crime branch reflects, “ Why would any unknown person kill her so brutally if he just wanted her bangles and chain?” No person is being spared as the cops are zeroing in, in record time on the culprit. They don’t want to give him enough time to escape.
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