Thane

A police sniffer dog played a crucial role in solving a murder case in Thane district, leading to the arrest of a repeat offender from Mumbai, officials said on Thursday.

The accused, Yogesh Eknath Rane (40), allegedly murdered his friend Rajesh Yogiraj Prabhulkar (49) over a financial dispute earlier this month. The victim’s body, with severe injuries to the head and face, was discovered on April 21 near the Bhatsa river in the Khadavli area, prompting police to register a case against unknown persons.

A dog named Bailey from the police canine unit helped investigators trace clues from items recovered at the scene, leading them to Khadavli railway station. Following this, police analysed around 100 to 150 CCTV recordings from Khadavli to Mumbai and reviewed data on nearly 80 missing persons.

The investigation eventually pointed to Rane, who reportedly moved around Mumbai while attempting to avoid detection by wearing a cap and frequently changing routes in crowded areas such as Dadar, Byculla and Lower Parel. He was finally apprehended from Lower Parel on Tuesday.

Police said both the victim and the accused worked at a catering agency and were known to each other. On April 20, they had gone to the Bhatsa river, where an argument over money escalated. Rane allegedly attacked Prabhulkar with a stone, fatally injuring him and disfiguring his face to hinder identification.

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Officials added that Rane has a criminal background, with previous cases of murder and attempt to murder registered against him in Raigad district and Mumbai. A fresh case of mobile phone theft was also filed against him earlier this week.