Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: The investigation into the murder of Balu Dongre, a 35-year-old hospital security supervisor, took a dramatic turn on Monday when Latur police arrested Dr. Pramod Ghuge, a renowned nephrologist, in connection with the crime.
According to police, Dr. Ghuge was apprehended at a yoga centre in Haridwar, where he had been hiding. Authorities are also searching for a second suspect, the compounder of the hospital, who is believed to have assisted Dr. Ghuge in the murder. Both individuals are named as accused in the FIR related to the incident.
Police revealed that Dr. Ghuge initially tried to mislead investigators by claiming that Dongre had died in a road accident. Latur Superintendent of Police, Somay Munde, stated, “Dr. Ghuge has six criminal cases registered against him. After the murder, he tried to cover up the crime, claiming Dongre died in an accident. To back his story, he even damaged Dongre’s bike and sent a person from his hospital to the police station, claiming Dongre was brought dead after a crash.”
Investigators believe that the motive for the murder was Dongre’s refusal to become an accused in a legal case against Dr. Ghuge. On the night of December 11, after consuming alcohol, the accused duo allegedly pressured Dongre to become involved in a case related to the Prevention of Atrocities Act against Dr. Ghuge. An argument ensued when Dongre demanded money in exchange for his compliance. Police suspect that the two then took Dongre to the hospital terrace, where he was attacked with blunt objects, including a stick.
The assault reportedly lasted for an hour, causing Dongre to collapse due to internal bleeding. Once the doctor realized Dongre had died, he falsely informed the family that it was an accident. However, after noticing the injuries on Dongre’s body, the family approached the police. A subsequent investigation confirmed that the death was not an accident.
An autopsy later verified the cause of death as homicide. On December 12, the police registered a murder case based on the family’s complaint. By that time, both suspects had fled the city.
It was SP Munde who traced Dr. Ghuge to Haridwar. Working with a batchmate posted in the northern city, Munde successfully had the doctor arrested on Monday. Latur police teams are currently returning from Haridwar after securing the doctor’s custody.
Additional SP Ajay Deore stated that a financial dispute between Dongre and Dr. Ghuge likely played a key role in the motive behind the murder.
