Pune: In a shocking case, a 17-year-old girl was murdered by her lover after a heated argument over his plans to marry another woman. The accused, Balaji Ramrao Hinge (25), and his friend, Sachin Sanjay Ranpise (26), both residents of Phulgaon, were arrested after police investigations revealed the gruesome crime.

The incident occurred two months ago when Balaji, who was romantically involved with the victim, took her on an outing. During the trip, an argument broke out between them, and Balaji killed her in a fit of rage.

The girl was reported missing on November 2, 2024, by her family. Despite extensive searches by both the family and police, no leads were found for 56 days. The case finally broke open when the police uncovered evidence pointing to the murder and the disposal of her body at Dive Ghat. The accused were taken into custody, and the girl's body was recovered.

Investigations revealed that the accused had kept the victim’s body in a vehicle for two days before disposing of it. They scouted Dive Ghat for a suitable location, eventually placing the body in a sack and dumping it. The suspects revisited the site multiple times to ensure no traces were left behind.

Just 15 days after committing the murder, Balaji proceeded with his marriage to another woman. Neither his new wife’s family nor the villagers had any suspicion of his involvement in such a heinous crime.

A condolence meeting for the victim was held in Phulgaon on Thursday (January 2) morning. During the event, angered villagers staged a roadblock on Alandi Road, demanding the death penalty for the accused. The protest concluded after police intervention, with a memorandum submitted to the authorities.

The case was meticulously investigated by a team led by Senior Police Inspector Sarjerao Kumbhar of the Lonikand Police Station, under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police Himmat Jadhav and Assistant Commissioner of Police Pranjali Sonawane. The girl’s body was cremated on December 28.