Three arrested in connection with the death of three members of a family in Belagavi

Belagavi Police have arrested three accused in connection with the death of three members of a family in the city.

Investigators gave the names of the accused as 52-year-old Rajesh Achyut Kudtarkar, a goldsmith from Keshav Nagar in Vadgaon, and his associates Bhaskar Sonarkar and Nanaso Shinde.

Officers from the Shahapur Police Station found ₹7.7 lakh in cash and 661 grams of gold jewellery valued at ₹49 lakh during a raid at Kudtarkar’s residence.

He faces the charge of spreading false news about the financial dealings of 47-year-old Santhosh Kuradekar, 52-year-old Suvarna Kuradekar and 80-year-old Mangala Kuradekar.

The three bodies were found in Kuradekar’s house in the old city on Wednesday.

Sunanda Kuradekar, who is recovering in a private hospital in the city, after consuming poison, filed the complaint.

An investigator said that the accused spread news that the deceased Santosh Kuradekar had misappropriated 2-3 kg of gold from innocent housewives.

They kept pestering him to return it. Also, it is possible that Rajesh Kudtarkar forcibly took away around half a kilogram of gold from Santosh Kuradekar, in place of a pending loan.

This led to great anxiety in the Kuradekar household, that forced them to ending their lives. However, the police have to confirm this after gathering acceptable evidence, a senior police officer said. Investigation is on.

Police Commissioner Borase Bhushan Gulabrao has warned the public against transacting with non-institutional lenders. He has also asked the public to seek the help of the police in instances of harassment or torture by anti-social elements.

(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies can call Arogya Sahayavani on Ph: 104 for help.)