Navi Mumbai: An elderly widow was found dead in a pool of blood inside her flat in Khopoli on Wednesday night. Maheshwari Panicker (70), a homemaker, was allegedly murdered with her legs and hands tied in a flat in a building near Carmel School. She reportedly got into a violent scuffle with the thieves to save her gold jewellery from being stolen. The accused allegedly fled with her valuables worth Rs 3.5 lakh and locked the flat from outside.Panicker’s three children returned from the Gulf after learning about the murder. The Raigad superintendent of police, Aanchal Dalal, reviewed the investigation at Khopoli police station on Thursday. Khopoli police inspector Sachin Hire said, “A case of murder and theft had been lodged, and further investigation was on.” The victim’s relatives, after finding the flat locked, had started searching for her but to no avail. They later complained to the Khopoli police.The police tracked her mobile, which led them to the flat. After breaking the main door, the officials found the woman lying in a pool of blood inside the flat. The dog squad, forensic team and district-level search teams, among other police investigators, had reached the spot.After a post-mortem was conducted at the primary health centre, Khalapur, her body was handed over to her relatives. The police have launched a manhunt to nab the accused and are scanning CCTVs and contacting informants for further details.
