A 21-year-old woman died in Navi Mumbai after allegedly receiving injections from a ward boy who posed as a doctor, police said on Monday. The incident occurred on February 5 in Vashi area of Navi Mumbai in Maharashtra, and the accused was arrested the following day, officials said. According to the police, Prachiti Bhikuram Bhuvad’s family contacted Sandesh Yashwant Pashte, who introduced himself as a doctor, to treat her irregular periods. He visited the family’s home in Sector 11 and claimed she was suffering from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS). Pashte allegedly charged the family Rs 15,000 for a course of five injections, stating that he would administer them personally, reported the PTI. On February 5, Pashte gave her two injections. The woman then fell unconscious, causing panic. Pashte reportedly instructed her father to discard a bag containing used syringes and medical waste in the rubbish. She was rushed to a nearby hospital but was declared dead two hours later, according to the PTI. When questioned by the family, Pashte admitted that he was actually a ward boy at a private nursing home in Andheri, Mumbai. Following the complaint, he was arrested on February 6 and booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, cheating by personation, and other offences, the news agency reported. Girl dies months after suspected acid ingestion; probe underway Meanwhile, a 16-year-old girl from Geeta Colony in Delhi has died after allegedly consuming acid. According to her father, Nand Kishore, the incident occurred on October 29, 2025, and she died while being taken to the hospital for treatment. He claimed that a relative, his cousin's brother-in-law, who lives on the floor below, had given the acid to her, according to the ANI. "My daughter was made to drink acid on October 29. My cousin's brother-in-law had given it to her. He lives on the floor below mine. She would have turned 16 on 8 March. The police say they are investigating. She died while I was taking her to the hospital," he told ANI. However, the Shahdara police clarified that a medico-legal case was filed at Maulana Azad Hospital on October 29 2025, where the record only mentioned "acid ingestion", and no history of assault was reported. "At that time, the girl and her mother stated that she had ingested the acid voluntarily following an argument with her husband, Bhura alias Subhash, a resident of Thiryasalahpur village in Rampur, Uttar Pradesh." Police said that later, on January 29, the victim's mother lodged a complaint at Geeta Colony Police Station, alleging that her daughter had been sexually assaulted by Bhura and forced to consume acid on 29 October 2025. Based on this complaint, a case was registered under Sections 65 and 351(2) of the BNS and Section 6 of the POCSO Act. "The victim reportedly gave contradictory statements before the magistrate regarding the acid ingestion," police said. Following the incident, the girl was not admitted to any hospital and stayed at her parents' home. On February 7, 2026, her father brought her to the emergency department of LNJP Hospital, where she was declared dead. An autopsy was conducted the following day, on February 8, police said. (with PTI and ANI inputs)
10 February,2026 08:08 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThane city police recorded 11,965 crime cases in 2025, maintaining an overall detection rate of 78.8 per cent, the same as the previous year, official statistics showed, according to news agency PTI. Kidnapping remained a major concern, with 1,291 cases reported. The police solved 1,173 of them (90.9 per cent), including 876 involving minor girls, of whom 782 were traced, according to the 2025 crime report. Sexual offences also saw strong detection rates, PTI reported. Out of 813 molestation cases, nearly 98 per cent were solved, with a slightly higher success rate in cases involving minors. Among 516 registered rape cases, including 302 involving minors, all were detected. Violent crimes showed similarly high resolution. Of 73 murder cases, 71 were solved (97 per cent), while 161 of 162 attempted murder cases (99 per cent) were detected. Property-related crimes proved more challenging. Of 984 cheating cases, only 656 (66.7 per cent) were solved, PTI reported. Detection was lower for house-breaking thefts (51 per cent) and chain snatching (61.7 per cent). Police impersonation cases had the lowest success, with just two of six (33 per cent) solved. Meanwhile, authorities cracked 83 of 86 extortion cases (96.5 per cent) and registered 49 cases under the Maharashtra Prevention of Dangerous Activities Act and 18 under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). Thane man duped of Rs 82 lakh in share investment scam A 62-year-old man from Thane city allegedly lost Rs 82.13 lakh in an investment fraud after being promised high returns, police said on Tuesday. The senior citizen came across a Facebook advertisement on September 26, 2025, promising high returns on share market investments. Clicking the ad redirected him to a WhatsApp group named after a leading finance and investment company. He was asked to download a trading app and persuaded to make investments. Between January 10 and 30 this year, he transferred Rs 82.13 lakh to multiple bank accounts and was shown “profits” totaling Rs 1.51 crore, according to Kasarvadavali Police officers. However, when he requested withdrawal of the profits on February 2, his requests were repeatedly rejected, and the fraudsters demanded an additional Rs 42.46 lakh to process the payment. The man then contacted the finance company, which confirmed it had no connection with the WhatsApp group or the trading app, the officer said. (With PTI inputs)
10 February,2026 06:38 PM IST | Thane | mid-day online correspondentA 19-year-old woman was shot dead in the Govandi area of Mumbai on Tuesday afternoon, police said, adding that a probe has been launched and the suspect was identified. The incident occurred around 12 noon and falls under the jurisdiction of the Shivaji Nagar police station, officials said. According to the police, the woman sustained a bullet injury and died on the spot. The shooting caused panic in the locality, following which local residents alerted the authorities. Police teams immediately rushed to the scene and carried out a spot panchnama. Senior officers also visited the area to assess the situation and gather preliminary information. Accused identified, say cops Deputy Commissioner of Police Sameer Shaikh of Zone 6 said the accused has been identified, and a search operation is underway to trace and arrest the suspect. Initial investigations indicate that the killing may have been linked to personal relationships and internal disputes. However, the police are examining all possible angles to establish the exact motive behind the crime. Murder case registered A case of murder has been registered at Shivaji Nagar police station. Further investigation is in progress to determine the sequence of events leading to the shooting.
10 February,2026 06:16 PM IST | Mumbai | Aishwarya IyerAn 18-year-old student, on his way to appear for his HSC board exam, died after sustaining serious injuries near the Kalwa-Mumbra railway section on Tuesday morning, officials from the Thane Railway Police said. The incident occurred at around 9.15 am on February 10 near kilometre number 36/125, between Kalwa and Mumbra railway stations. The deceased has been identified as Soham Sachin Kathare, a resident of Dombivli. According to police, Soham was travelling to Kalwa to appear for his Class 12 board examination when the incident took place. He was found injured near the railway track and was taken to the Civil Hospital by police personnel from Kalwa. Doctors examined him on arrival, but he was declared dead at 10.30 am, before admission for treatment. Police have registered an Accidental Death Report (ADR) in the matter and are further investigating the matter to determine the exact cause of the incident.
10 February,2026 05:28 PM IST | Mumbai | Rajendra B. AklekarThe Aarey Police have arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with the theft of a Tata Tempo reported earlier this month. The accused has been identified as Brijesh Kumar Rekovar alias Tiger (28), a web series actor residing in a rented accommodation at Unit No. 31, Ambawadi. According to the police, the Tata Tempo was stolen on January 18. CCTV footage collected during the investigation showed the stolen vehicle moving through Goregaon and later crossing the Thane toll naka. At the time of the theft, the accused was seen wearing red-coloured clothes, which proved crucial in identifying and tracking him. Police officials said the accused had come to Mumbai a couple of years ago in search of work and had started working as a driver about four months ago. However, due to a lack of steady employment and financial difficulties, he allegedly stole the tempo to arrange money for his sister’s wedding. During interrogation, police found that the accused had earlier worked as a side actor in Bengali web series but had been without work for several days. With his sister’s marriage fixed and in urgent need of money, he allegedly committed the theft. Further questioning revealed that after stealing the tempo, the accused drove it to Nashik and parked it outside Nashik Railway Station, hoping to sell the vehicle. However, before he could dispose of it, police traced and arrested him. Based on technical evidence and CCTV analysis, the accused was arrested from the Santosh Nagar area in Dindoshi by the Aarey Colony police. Further investigation is underway.
10 February,2026 04:58 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanA man’s body was found cut into pieces and stuffed into a bag at Juhu beach in Mumbai. Following the discovery, the Santacruz Police in western suburbs registered a murder case and nabbed a suspect. Officers have arrested a 30-year-old man in connection with the murder of a 40-year-old man whose body was found cut into pieces and dumped in the sea. According to the police, the incident came to light on Monday, when a plastic bag containing male body parts was found near Landing Point at Juhu Beach in Santacruz West. The body was cut from the neck to the waist. After examining the remains, the police confirmed that it was a case of murder. The deceased has been identified as Ashok Harilal God, aged 40, a resident of Mumbai. During the investigation, police used technical and confidential information to trace the suspect. The accused has been identified as Wahid Ali Mohammad Israil Shaikh, also known as Mittu, aged 30. He works in the garment business and lives in Goregaon West, Mumbai. He is originally from Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh. Police said that the accused confessed to killing Ashok God and cutting his body into pieces. He then packed the body parts in a plastic bag and threw them into the sea to destroy the evidence. The accused was arrested on Tuesday and has been booked under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder and destruction of evidence. Senior police officers, including the commissioner and deputy commissioners of police, are supervising the investigation. A special team from Santacruz Police Station is conducting further inquiries into the case. The police are probing the exact motive behind the brutal murder, sources said, adding that more details will be revealed as the investigation progresses.
10 February,2026 03:46 PM IST | Mumbai | Asif RizviIn a major blow to an inter-state forgery syndicate, the Mata Ramabai Marg (MRA Marg) Police in Fort, Mumbai, have busted a gang accused of printing and circulating fake postal stamps across India, seizing counterfeit stamps worth Rs 27.84 lakh and exposing a scam that allegedly routed Rs 7–8 crore through suspect bank accounts. The case came to light on September 12, 2025, after a complaint by a 42-year-old postal inspector from Mumbai General Post Office (GPO) triggered a deep dive into irregular stamp circulation. A case was accordingly registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023. From Mumbai to Bihar, and a 14-day Delhi watch Technical analysis and coordination with the Mumbai GPO revealed that fake stamps were being dispatched to multiple states via courier. The trail led investigators to arrest the first accused in Mumbai. His interrogation opened the Bihar link, resulting in the arrest of two more suspects from Samastipur, where the police detected suspicious banking activity involving crores of rupees. The mastermind, however, had gone underground—changing phones and addresses. Acting on tactical intelligence, a police team camped in Delhi for 14 days, keeping round-the-clock surveillance before finally nabbing two key accused from Delhi–National Capital Region (NCR). The breakthrough yielded a massive cache of counterfeit stamps ready for nationwide distribution. Mumbai Police recovered forged stamps featuring iconic national personalities and symbols Rs 20 stamps of Mother Teresa: 23,100 pieces worth Rs 4.62 lakh Rs 10 stamps of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj: 1.25 lakh pieces worth Rs 12.50 lakh Rs 5 stamps of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam: 70,000 pieces worth Rs 3.50 lakh Rs 5 stamps of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel: 20,000 pieces worth Rs 1 lakh Rs 200 stamps of Ashoka Pillar: 595 pieces worth Rs 1.19 lakh Rs 100 stamps of Ashoka Pillar: 32 pieces worth Rs 3,200 Rs 50 stamps of Rabindranath Tagore: 10,000 pieces worth Rs 5 lakh Total seizure: Rs 27,84,200 Investigators said the forged stamps were couriered to different states, causing direct losses to the government exchequer. Five accused have been arrested from Mumbai, Bihar, Delhi, and Uttar Pradesh. The police believe that there are more accused on the run and a manhunt is underway to nab them. The operation was carried out under the guidance of senior officers from the south division of Mumbai Police, with the MRA Marg Police’s team leveraging technical intelligence, financial analysis, and field surveillance to dismantle the network.
10 February,2026 03:08 PM IST | Mumbai | Samiullah KhanInternational shooter Sambhaji Patil, a gold medallist at the 2016 Junior World Cup, was killed in a road accident on Monday after the car he was travelling in collided with a truck on the Mumbai-Ahmedabad Highway in Palghar district, Maharashtra, officials said, reported the PTI. Sambhaji Patil was 27. According to the officials, the accident occurred at around 10 am when Patil was travelling to Gujarat for shooting practice. The car was being driven by his friend and fellow shooter Yash Choudhary. Patil, a resident of Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, was seated in the front passenger seat. The police said that the speeding car rammed into the truck from the left side while attempting to overtake it. Patil sustained severe injuries and was rushed to hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Choudhary was injured in the crash. Police action and funeral A case of accidental death has been registered at Manor police station. Patil’s family reached the hospital later in the day, and his last rites will be held in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar. Sporting achievements Patil won a gold medal in the 25-metre standard pistol event at the Junior World Cup held in Azerbaijan in 2016. He also finished 23rd at the World Championship in 2017 in the same category. According to the International Shooting Sports Federation (ISSF), he was trained by ace shooter Jaspal Rana, who also served as his national coach. Mumbai-Pune Expressway traffic jam: Tanker driver booked for rash, dangerous driving Meanwhile, days after the massive Mumbai-Pune Expressway traffic jam, lasting nearly 33 hours and leaving thousands of motorists stranded, the police have booked the tanker driver for driving in rash and negligent manner, officials said. Police have registered an FIR against the driver of a gas tanker that was involved in the accident. The case was registered days after the incident, officials said on Sunday. The driver, identified as Ratan Singh Uday Narayan Singh (44), a resident of Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, has been booked at Khopoli police station in Raigad district, reported the PTI. He has been charged with rash and dangerous driving and with endangering the life and personal safety of others, a police officer said. The tanker, which was carrying highly flammable propylene gas, overturned near the Adoshi tunnel in Raigad district at around 5 pm on February 3. Police said the tanker was allegedly speeding when the driver lost control while driving downhill. The vehicle was travelling from Kochi to Gujarat, officials added. Driver and helper injured Both the driver and his aide were injured in the accident and were admitted to a private hospital in Navi Mumbai. The case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and the Motor Vehicles Act. Police said further investigation is underway, according to the PTI. Traffic on the Mumbai-bound carriageway of the expressway was finally restored in the early hours of February 5, nearly 33 hours after the accident. (with PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 10:55 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA retired senior police officer has been accused of driving under the influence of alcohol and ramming his car into several vehicles in Navi Mumbai city in Maharashtra, officials said. The incident, which occurred on Saturday evening at Karave village in the Seawoods West area, caused panic among motorists and residents. Police said the driver, identified as Arun Baban Pokharkar, allegedly sped through the village while intoxicated and collided with four to five parked and moving vehicles. Although there were no serious injuries, the crash damaged multiple vehicles and alarmed people in the vicinity, according to the PTI. Enraged locals intervened, stopping the car, pulling the driver out and assaulting him before police arrived. Authorities later confirmed his identity after finding a police ID card and nameplate inside the vehicle. Drunk driving case registered Following a preliminary inquiry and medical examination, police said Pokharkar was found to be under the influence of alcohol, the news agency reported. A case for drunk driving has been registered at the NRI police station, and further investigation is ongoing. After completing medico-legal procedures, he was released. Mumbai Police suspend cop for inaction against illegal hawkers Meanwhile, in an another incident, the Mumbai Police has initiated action against its own personnel, suspending a policeman for failing to act against hawkers while on duty. A Mumbai Police Assistant Police Inspector Narayan Siddhappa Anand, attached to Azad Maidan police station, was suspended after allegedly failing to take action against illegal hawkers outside the Churchgate subway area on January 27. A police source said Anand was deployed outside Churchgate station between 7 pm and 9 pm, when several hawkers were operating in the subway area. Despite being instructed by senior officers to act against unauthorised vendors, he allegedly failed to take action. Following an internal inquiry, Anand was served a suspension notice, the source added. Following the suspension, authorities claim the Churchgate subway area has largely become hawker-free. When mid-day visited the location on Thursday, no hawkers were seen operating in the area. “We are taking strict action against illegal hawkers and registering FIRs where necessary. The entire area has been cleared, and regular drives are being conducted to prevent their return,” a police officer said. (with PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 06:11 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentThe Bombay High Court on Monday granted bail to Akashdeep Karaj Singh, an accused in the murder of former Maharashtra Minister Baba Siddique, making him the first person to receive bail in the high-profile case, reported the PTI. A bench led by Justice Neela Gokhale directed Singh, a resident of Punjab, not to leave Mumbai until the trial in the case is completed. Baba Siddique (66) was shot dead by three assailants outside his son Zeeshan Siddique’s office in Bandra East on the night of October 12, 2024. Singh, who is 22 years old, was arrested in November 2024. He is the first among the accused to secure bail in the case. In his bail application, Singh claimed that he had been falsely implicated and that the allegations against him were vague and without substance. The accused argued that he has only been charged with being a member of an organised crime syndicate and that no specific role in the murder has been attributed to him. He also told the court that the trial is unlikely to begin in the near future and that continued detention without trial would violate his fundamental rights. Chargesheet filed, 26 arrested so far In January this year, Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet naming Anmol Bishnoi, the brother of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, as a wanted accused in the case. According to the prosecution, Anmol Bishnoi planned the killing to create fear and establish dominance for the crime syndicate. So far, 26 people have been arrested and booked under the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA). All the accused are currently in judicial custody. NIA has arrested gangster Anmol Bishnoi The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had in November last year arrested gangster Anmol Bishnoi, the brother and close aide of jailed gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, after he was deported from the United States to India. According to the NIA, Anmol had been absconding since 2022 and was brought back to the country following coordinated action with international authorities. In an official statement, the NIA had said that Anmol is the 19th accused to be arrested in the terror–gangster network allegedly operated by Lawrence Bishnoi and his associates. The agency stated that Anmol had been chargesheeted in March 2023 after investigations established that he had “actively aided designated individual terrorists Goldy Brar and Lawrence Bishnoi in the commission of various acts of terrorism in India between 2020 and 2023.” Anmol used his base in the United States to “run the syndicate’s operations, direct terrorist activities, and coordinate with shooters on the ground” for the Bishnoi gang. The agency further said that he had “provided shelter, funding, and logistical support to the gang’s operatives” and was also involved in “extortion activities in India from foreign soil with the help of other gangsters,” the NIA had earlier stated. (with PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 04:09 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondentA case has been registered against a Navi Mumbai resident for allegedly sexually harassing a foreign woman who had come to Kochi to attend the Kochi-Muziris Biennale art event, news agency PTI reported, quoting the Kerala Police on Monday. According to authorities, the case was filed against Sumit Katare following a complaint lodged by a woman from Taiwan, who visited Kochi last month for the Biennale. The complaint was submitted via email after she returned from India. As per the first information report (FIR) registered on February 7, the complainant befriended Katare outside Pepper House in Fort Kochi, a venue of the art event, on January 18, PTI reported. Though Katare invited her to consume alcohol, she refused, the FIR said. The next day, Katare approached the complainant near the Fort Kochi backwater area and accompanied her on a boat trip. During the afternoon boat trip, the accused allegedly sexually harassed her through physical contact, the FIR stated. In her complaint, the woman said that after the boat trip, Katare forced her to travel in an autorickshaw, during which he continued his “sexually intended misbehaviour” at around 5 pm, PTI reported, quoting police. When the woman refused to go with him, he allegedly followed her and continued to harass her, the FIR added. Fort Kochi Police have registered a case under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for sexual harassment and stalking. The police said the foreign national has provided the accused’s contact details, and efforts are underway to trace him. They are also trying to contact the woman, as her detailed statement needs to be recorded as part of the investigation. Maharashtra school headmaster held for sexually assaulting Class 7 student Police have arrested the headmaster of a school in Yavatmal district for allegedly sexually assaulting a 13-year-old Class 7 student, officers said on Monday. The 47-year-old accused, headmaster of a Zilla Parishad school in Ghatanji taluka, allegedly assaulted the girl on May 1, 2025, and again on February 5 this year, a police officer said, quoting a complaint filed by the child’s father on Saturday. Following the complaint, the accused was arrested on Sunday, February 8, the officer added. The officer also said that the accused lured the girl with fruits and makeup items and sexually assaulted her on both occasions. He allegedly threatened to kill her if she disclosed the offence to anyone. The headmaster has been booked under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rape and criminal intimidation, and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act for penetrative sexual assault, the police added. (With PTI inputs)
09 February,2026 02:15 PM IST | Kochi | mid-day online correspondentADVERTISEMENT
