One month after Vadaj murder, Ahmedabad Police arrest two for elderly woman's killing

Nearly a month after the brutal murder of a 65-year-old woman in Vadaj, the Local Crime Branch (LCB) Zone-1 of Ahmedabad Police has arrested two suspects allegedly involved in the heinous crime. The breakthrough came following a combination of technical surveillance and confidential tip-offs, police said.

The incident occurred in the early hours of June 1, when two unidentified men allegedly conspired to commit robbery and murder at the residence of Phuliben Ratilal Od, located in Odno Tekro near Ramapir Mandir in Vadaj. The accused first turned off the electricity supply to her home by switching off the main power line from outside. Under the cover of darkness, they managed to lure Phuliben out of the house and assaulted her with a sharp-edged weapon, causing grievous injuries to her neck, chest, abdomen, and arms. She was rushed to Civil Hospital in Asarwa via a 108 emergency ambulance but was declared dead on arrival.

A case was registered at the Vadaj police station under BNS sections and section of the Gujarat Police Act.

Given the gravity of the crime, senior officers directed an intensive investigation, formed special teams that scanned CCTV footage from Odno Tekro and surrounding areas and analysed more than 400 mobile call records from nearby cell towers.

After weeks of technical scrutiny and fieldwork, resulted in the arrest of two suspects:

Rahul alias Chodo alias Bapu, 27, a tempo driver and resident of Odno Tekro near the old Vadaj bus stand, and Pradeep alias Pankaj alias Gadho(22) a tempo driver of Narol.

According to the police, the motive behind the murder was robbery. Rahul, who lived just three houses away from the victim, was reportedly aware that Phuliben wore gold jewellery and kept valuables at home. Along with Pradeep, he allegedly planned the robbery with the intention of stealing money and ornaments. During the attempt, the situation escalated into a deadly assault.

The robbery couldn't be carried out, as Phuliben's son woke up hearing his mother's screams.

Police also revealed that accused Pradeep has a criminal history, with multiple FIRs registered against him at police stations across Ahmedabad, including Bapunagar, Shahibaug, Danilimda, and Meghaninagar. His previous offences range from assault, theft, and arson to rioting and public disorder.

The accused are now in police custody and further investigation is underway to determine if they were involved in any other crimes in the city.