The Yerwada police have arrested a 30-year-old former army jawan for allegedly killing his wife with help of three contract killers in July. The incident came to light while investigating a missing person’s case registered with the Vishrantwadi police station.

The jawan, who has been court-martialled,  has been identified as Tanaji Sopan Borate of Bopkhel. Borate was married to Ratnaprabha and had two children. Borate had taken his wife and children to Tamhini Ghat section on a picnic on July 15 to commit the murder and to dispose off her body in a deep valley.

While returning from the picnic, Borate and his aides allegedly strangled her to death. The police suspect that Tanaji had married for the second time and wanted to get rid of Ratnaprabha.

Senior Police Inspector Kishor Jadhav of Yerwada police station told Mirror that Borate’s accomplices Ajit alias Ajay Atmaram Tawade (38) of Vishrantwadi, Swapnil Pralhad Kamble (26) of Wadebolhai on Nagar Road and Maruti Baburao Sanas (25) of Bhor have also been arrested.

Jadhav said, “Ratnaprabha’s family had lodged a missing person’s complaint with Vishrantwadi police station. While investigating the missing person’s complaint, the police stumbled upon a murder case registered with the Paud police station on July 22.

We found that the body recovered by the Paud police from a deep gorge, a waterfall site, was that of Ratnaprabha’s. We suspect Borate had paid supari to his accomplices. One of the suspects, Tawade, has a criminal history and is involved in a murder case.”