The mysterious death of Vaishnavi Hagawane, daughter-in-law of expelled NCP leader Rajendra Hagawane, has taken a dramatic turn as the post-mortem report points to possible murder rather than suicide. Police revealed in court that the autopsy found clear signs of strangulation and multiple blunt injuries on Vaishnavi’s body, contradicting initial claims of suicide and deepening suspicions of foul play.
Vaishnavi was found hanging from a ceiling fan at her in-laws’ Bhukum residence on May 16. While her in-laws claimed she died by suicide, her family immediately suspected foul play due to visible marks on her body. The autopsy, conducted at Sassoon General Hospital, delivered a bombshell:
Cause of death: Ligature compression of the neck, strongly indicating strangulation
Additional findings: Multiple blunt injuries on various parts of the body
Further steps: Internal organs preserved for chemical analysis to check for possible poisoning
These findings directly challenge the suicide narrative and have prompted police to treat the case as a suspected murder.
Based on the post-mortem, police informed the court that the nature of Vaishnavi’s injuries and the evidence of strangulation could not be ignored. Deputy Commissioner of Police Pawar confirmed that the investigation is now focusing on murder, with forensic reports, call records, CCTV footage, and witness statements all under scrutiny.
Police have arrested Vaishnavi’s husband Shashank, mother-in-law Lata, and sister-in-law Karishma. Her father-in-law Rajendra and brother-in-law Sushil, who initially fled, were also arrested after a citywide manhunt. All accused have been remanded to police custody as investigators work to piece together the full sequence of events and motives.
Vaishnavi’s father, Anil Kaspate, filed an FIR alleging repeated dowry harassment and physical abuse by the Hagawane family. He stated that at the time of marriage, they provided substantial gold, silver, and a luxury vehicle, but were later pressured for an additional ₹2 crore for land purchase. The FIR also highlighted injury marks on Vaishnavi’s body, fueling suspicions that she was murdered for dowry.
The case has ignited a political firestorm, with NCP-SP MP Supriya Sule and Shiv Sena UBT leader Sushma Andhare demanding a thorough investigation and swift justice. Deputy CM Ajit Pawar expelled Rajendra Hagawane from the party and assured Vaishnavi’s family that no one would be spared, regardless of their political connections.
With the post-mortem findings now central to the investigation, police are aligning forensic evidence with crime scene details to determine the exact cause of death. The case is being closely monitored by senior officials, and the court has extended the custody of the accused for further interrogation.
