Ambernath Ganpati fund dispute turns fatal, mandal member arrested for friend’s murder
A 29-year-old man was allegedly killed by his friend in Maharashtra’s Thane district following a dispute over money collected for the recently concluded Ganpati festival, police said.
The victim, Sandeep Dilip Madhiwal, and the accused, Govind Ramlu Koli alias Chinna, 30, were members of the OBN Mitra Mandal in Ambernath. Police said the dispute arose over the accounting of festival funds.
According to investigators, Madhiwal questioned Koli about the money collected for the Ganpati celebrations. The argument allegedly escalated, following which Koli attacked Madhiwal, causing fatal injuries. Police have registered a murder case against him.
The incident took place on Sunday night. After the alleged killing, Koli fled and reportedly planned to travel to his native place in Andhra Pradesh.
Police launched a search operation and used mobile-phone data, technical surveillance and information from sources to trace his movements. Three teams were deployed around Kalyan railway station and nearby railway tracks, where investigators located Koli on an express train. He was apprehended from a general compartment within about 12 hours of the murder.
The accused was subsequently handed over to Ambernath police for further investigation. Police are examining the circumstances leading to the fatal confrontation and the handling of the festival funds.
with inputs from PTI
