Panvel murder solved: IP clue leads to arrest of accused in Madhya Pradesh

Sangeeta Agavane the victim

Two months after the murder of a coaching teacher in Panvel, the Navi Mumbai Crime Branch has cracked the case. The accused was arrested in Madhya Pradesh after an IP address linked to the victim's mobile phone surfaced during the investigation. According to the police, the accused had fled with the victim's mobile phone, removed the SIM card, and switched it off. The phone was never recovered, but recently, its IP address became active, leading investigators to the accused. Police revealed that a relative of the accused had unknowingly accessed the phone, providing the crucial breakthrough that helped solve the case.

The police team which arrested the accused addressed the media

Sangeeta Agavane, 49, a private coaching teacher from Valap village in Panvel, was murdered on September 7 while walking home after her classes. The accused, who also lived in the same village, attacked her from behind with the intent to rob her. When he was unable to overpower her and take her jewellery, he strangled her to death and fled with ornaments, including a mangalsutra, worth approximately R1.95 lakh. The incident occurred between 7 and 7.30 pm, with no witnesses present.

The Panvel police registered a case of murder against an unknown person and launched an investigation. "During the initial stages of the investigation, we didn't find any concrete clues as there were no CCTV cameras in the area. While we analysed hundreds of pieces of dump data, no significant leads emerged. However, a breakthrough came when we traced an activity linked to the victim's mobile phone," an officer explained.

Investigators identified a suspicious IP address, which led them to Madhya Pradesh. Further technical analysis pointed to the accused, identified as Sharad Sahu. Police discovered that Sahu, a welder from the area, had been observing the victim regularly and targeted her for robbery. After committing the murder, he fled to Rewa in Madhya Pradesh, where he sold the stolen jewellery before returning to his village. "A thorough investigation by Crime Branch Unit 2, supported by technical evidence, led to the arrest of the accused," said ACP Ajay Kumar Landge.