Navi Mumbai man gets life term for killing two friends with paver block in 2017

Court Delivers Verdict After Eight-Year Trial

In a landmark judgment, the Additional Sessions Court in Belapur, Navi Mumbai, sentenced Prabhakar Devravji Dhotre, a 46-year-old resident of Turbhe, to rigorous life imprisonment on Tuesday for the savage killing of two men back in 2017. The court, presided over by Judge Parag Sane, also slapped a fine of Rs 1,000 on the convict, with an additional six months in jail if unpaid. This decision comes nearly nine years after the shocking crime that horrified the local community under the Turbhe flyover along the Thane-Belapur road. Dhotre, who worked as a guide in the area and often slept rough under the bridge, was swiftly arrested within hours of the discovery of the bodies. The case, registered at Sanpada police station, relied on strong prosecution evidence that left little room for doubt.

The victims, identified as Sandeep Motiram Gaikwad, a 22-year-old autorickshaw driver, and his friend Sameer Aslam Shaikh, also 20, were found lying in pools of their own blood with devastating injuries to their heads and faces. The attack happened late at night, with reports varying slightly on the exact date—some placing it on July 25, others July 26 or 27—but all agreeing it was a ruthless assault using a heavy cement paver block and a large stone as weapons. Both men died on the spot from the ferocity of the blows, their bodies discovered the next morning by passersby who alerted the police. The scene beneath the flyover, a spot where the accused and victims occasionally stayed, turned into a grim tableau of violence that stunned residents of the bustling Navi Mumbai suburb.

Unraveling the Motive Behind the Brutal Attack

Investigations quickly pieced together a motive rooted in simmering resentment and financial loss. Dhotre accused Gaikwad and Shaikh of stealing Rs 20,000 he had saved meticulously for his daughter's wedding—a sum that represented his hard-earned security. Police reports painted a picture of ongoing harassment, with the victims allegedly extorting money from Dhotre to fuel their habits of alcohol and drugs. The night of the murders, the two men, reportedly intoxicated, approached Dhotre while he slept under the flyover around 2 am. They woke him, demanding he join them to consume banned substances. What followed was a fatal loss of control: enraged by the confrontation, Dhotre grabbed the nearby stone and paver block, smashing their heads in a fit of fury. The day before, witnesses saw him storming to the victims' homes, visibly agitated and hurling threats, which later bolstered the prosecution's narrative of premeditated rage.

Adding to the tension, Dhotre's defence during interrogation flipped the script somewhat, claiming the victims had been bullying him for cash. But the court saw through this, focusing instead on the chain of events that led to the irreversible act. This backstory of desperation and street-level conflicts highlights the raw underbelly of life in urban fringes, where small disputes can escalate into tragedy.

Overwhelming Evidence Seals the Convict's Fate

The prosecution built an ironclad case over the eight-year trial, presenting 30 documentary exhibits and 13 pieces of circumstantial evidence. As many as 13 witnesses took the stand, their testimonies painting a consistent picture of guilt. Chemical analysis of the murder weapons proved damning, linking them directly to the crime scene despite the defence's pleas about missing fingerprints. Judge Sane dismissed arguments that the motive wasn't fully proven or that evidence fell short, noting the accused offered no credible counter-defence. Additional Public Prosecutors Yogendra Patil and Varsha Chandane meticulously examined the witnesses, ensuring every thread of the case wove together seamlessly. From the swift arrest near Sanpada railway station to the forensic reports, nothing was left to chance. This thorough approach underscores how persistence in justice delivery can bring closure, even after years of legal wrangling.

The evidence provided by the prosecution was cogent and consistent, leaving no ground for suspicion or any reason to believe the accused was innocent, the court observed in its detailed verdict.

The defence tried to poke holes, insisting on gaps in proof, but the bench remained unmoved, prioritizing the weight of scientific and eyewitness accounts. Dhotre's conviction serves as a stark reminder of the consequences of unchecked anger in vulnerable circumstances.

This case wraps up a long chapter of grief for the victims' families, who endured the wait for accountability. The life sentence, while not erasing the loss, affirms the court's commitment to upholding law amid urban strife. Key elements include the clear motive of stolen savings, brutal method of attack, and robust evidence that withstood scrutiny, culminating in justice served after nearly a decade.