Gujarat man arrested for real estate agent's murder in Palghar

A real estate agent from Umbargaon in Gujarat was arrested Friday by Palghar Police in Maharashtra for an alleged murder.

Lalit Vakharia (48), resident of Bhayndar near Mumbai, was found strangulated in his car at Paras Wadi in Talasari area of Palghar district on July 1.

Probe zeroed in on Mayur Bhandari (35), a real estate agent from Umbargaon, who had had financial dealings with the victim who was in the same business, said senior police inspector Jitendra Vankute of the Local Crime Branch.

Vakharia allegedly owed money to Bhandari and was not returning it, nor was he responding to Bhandari's calls, the police official said.

Bhandari then allegedly decided to kill him. One of his friends called Vakharia posing as a financier and asked him to come to Talasari for a land deal, inspector Vankute said.

Bhandari allegedly strangulated Vakharia when he reached the meeting spot and put his body in the former's car before fleeing.

Police are on the look-out for his friend who was the co-conspirator, the inspector added.