Even as the Mira Road police was completing the paperwork after arresting Ashish Jaiswal for killing his employer Raj-neesh Shah on Thursday evening, the report of a second murder sent the police scrambling again.
According to the Mira Road police, Deepak Raj (45), a building materials supplier, was found dead at his residence in Matoshri Nagar. He was bound and gagged and his head bore several injuries, which are believed to have caused his death.
“The body was discovered by a carpenter named S. Inder, who had come to visit him for some official purpose. When there was no response to the repeated knocks, Inder alerted Raj’s neighbours who broke the door open and found his dead body,” said an officer with the Mira Road police station.
Raj’s wife and two sons had gone to their hometown in Orissa, at the time of the murder.
Half-empty bottles of beer and whisky, as well as four plates of food were found on the floor. His hands and legs were tied with a nylon rope, while a piece of cloth was stuffed in his mouth.
“We believe that this is the doing of someone known to Raj and that there was more than one person involved. The murderers must have first overpowered him, bound and gagged him and then hit him on the head with a hard and blunt object,” said the officer. Robbery has been ruled out as a motive as Raj’s watch, wallet and other valuables were unt-ouched, the police said. Raj’s family in Orissa has been informed.