The arrested accused have been identified as Sohansingh Roopsingh Sisodiya (32), a jeweller by profession, Gerusingh Chunsingh Dassana (28), and Ramsingh Nainsingh Dassana (27). Both the Dassanas worked at a sweetmeat shop. All of them hail from Rajasthan, and had been living at Vaibhavnagar in the Janupada area of Kandivli (East).

“On the intervening night between August 21 and 22 last year, body of a salesman identified as Prakash Chandra (22) was discovered at Swarnadeep Jewellers situated near Govandi railway station. According to the owner of the shop, 30 kg of sliver ornaments and Rs 10,000 in cash was robbed. A murder with robbery case was registered at Trombay police station. We have been tracking this case for a long time as it had remained undetected. Today we have arrested the three culprits,” said Joint Commissioner of Police, Crime, Rakesh Maria.

According to the police, constable Deepak Kamble of the Crime Branch Unit 12 received a tip-off that the men behind the crime would be reaching Samtanagar Bus Terminus at Thakur Village in Kandivli (East) to dispose off some of the stolen property. A trap was laid accordingly, and Sisodiya and Gerusingh Dassana were picked up at 8.00 am. Their interrogation led the police to their accomplice Ramsingh Dassana.

“Sohansingh owns a small shop called Roopnarayan Jewellers, and had incurred heavy financial losses and was in debt. He needed quick money, and after planning with the other two accused they decided to rob Swarnadeep Jewellers after killing the salesman who slept in the shop. The owner of the shop, Hastimal Tater, owns another jewellery shop called Manish Jewellers at Chembur. Sohansingh worked in the Chembur shop from 1993 to 1997, and he knew the people working at both shops,” said Maria.

According to the police, the trio had attempted a robbery at the shop one month before the murder, and made another aborted attempt two days prior to it. On both occasions, they did not go ahead with their plan as they found another salesman identified as Lalsingh also sleeping in the shop along with Chandra.

“The second time they went to the shop, Lalsingh told the accused that he would be leaving for his native village in a couple of days time. On August 21, the arrested accused made a call to the shop, and were told by Chandra that Lalsingh had left for his village. The trio then caught a train to Ghatkopar, and walked it to the shop in Govandi. They told Chandra that they needed to stay over at the shop, as it was too late to return home. After an hour and a half of pretending to sleep, the arrested accused got up and killed Chandra,” said Maria.

Describing the manner in which Chandra was murdered, Maria said, “Sohansingh held Chandra’s hands, while Gerusingh throttled his neck. When Chandra’s body still showed signs of movement, he was smothered with a pillow. The trio then emptied out all the ornaments in the shop. According to them there was only 17 kg of silver ornaments in the shop,” said Maria.

The police have recovered 13 kgs of silver ornaments so far from the accused.

“We have prevented two similar murders by nabbing these men. They were planning to rob Om Jewellers in Vile Parle (West) and Bharti Jewellers in Vasai in a similar manner,” said Maria.