Man strangles gay partner to death, dumps body near railway track in Thane

The Thane police have arrested a man for murdering his 56-year-old partner, who had gone missing from Kopri area two days ago. 

According to the police, the accused, Praful Pawar (27), and the deceased Umesh Patil (56) were in a homosexual relationship.

Claiming to have solved the crime, the police said Patil's body was found stuffed in a bag left near the railway tracks at Dombivali on Thursday morning. Probe into the crime led the police to Pawar, said Inspector Rajkumar Kothmire of the Thane Crime Branch.

Patil, who worked at a private firm in Navi Mumbai after retiring as steno at the Mumbai sessions court, had gone missing from his house two days ago. 

Pawar and Patil met each other on a local train six months ago and became friends. Soon Patil, who was unmarried, started visiting Pawar at latter's house in Dombivali and they had a homosexual relationship, Kothmire said.

When Pawar got married, he started avoiding Patil, leading to the souring of their relations. On February 4, Patil visited Pawar when his wife was not at home and they had a quarrel.

Pawar allegedly strangulated Patil and stuffed his body in a bag and dumped it in the bushes by the side of the railway tracks, the police officer said.

In 2013 a case of attempt to murder had been registered against Pawar, Kothmire said, adding that further probe was on.

(With agency inputs.)