Navi Mumbai: Two days after an 18-year-old auto rickshaw driver was found murdered on the pavement along the mini seashore road in sector 10A, Vashi, the Vashi police in coordination with the crime branch unit-1 and central unit teams conducting a parallel probe arrested two accused youths by tracing them to Mankhurd on Monday.On Saturday around 4 am, a woman on a morning walk had informed the Vashi police about a boy lying unconscious and bleeding on the pavement. The police reached the spot and found the teenager had sustained multiple injuries on his head, neck and hands due to assault using some sharp weapon. He was declared brought dead at NMMC hospital, Vashi and was identified as Sujan Kumar Feku Mahato, a resident of Ghansoli.ACP (crime) Bhausaheb Dhole informed that the arrested accused are Sahil Ananda Surve (20) and Sahil Yashwant Kharat (20), both residents of Maharashtra Nagar area, Mankhurd. The accused Surve is a history-sheeter as a criminal case was registered against him at Trombay police station in 2024 for the offences of murder attempt and causing grievous injuries and under the Indian Arms Act. He was arrested by Trombay police and was released on bail on Oct 7, 2025.ACP Dhole said, “After contacting the victim Mahato’s family, it was learnt that he worked at a roadside Chinese food stall in Koparkhairane and daily whole night, he drove his father’s auto rickshaw to ferry passengers for supporting his family financially. His mother informed that as per daily routine, on Friday around 9 pm, he had left home with his father’s auto rickshaw to ferry passengers. As the auto rickshaw being driven by Mahato was missing from the crime scene, it was suspected that the assailant might have stolen his auto rickshaw after dumping his body on the pavement. Accordingly, the CCTV camera footages were scanned in Ghansoli and Koparkhairane areas when the auto rickshaw was spotted near Koparkhairane railway station from where two passengers had boarded Mahato’s auto rickshaw.”ACP Dhole added, “The CCTV footages of the route from Koparkhairane till Vashi were scanned and the auto rickshaw was spotted crossing Vashi toll plaza. Accordingly, the auto rickshaw was traced till Mankhurd and the two suspect youths were detained as the stolen auto rickshaw was recovered from them. During interrogation, the duo Surve and Kharat confessed to their crime by giving statement to the police that on Saturday around 3.40 am, they boarded Mahato’s auto rickshaw near Koparkhairane railway station to reach Mankhurd, but Mahato demanded exorbitant fare of Rs 150. They told him they had only Rs 100 and could pay that much, but Mahato was reluctant to ferry them. Hence, they threatened him at knife point and forced him to ferry them till Mankhurd for ₹100. On the way, when the auto rickshaw reached Vashi mini seashore road, Mahato received a mobile call. Mahato told the duo youths in his vehicle to get down as he had received a call from another local passenger. Hence, an argument ensued between them and Surve attacked Mahato with a knife causing grievous injuries on his head, neck and hands. As Mahato fell unconscious, the duo dumped him on the pavement near a garden on the mini seashore road and escaped in his auto rickshaw.
