Pune Father Arrested for Murder of 9-Year-Old Son; Police Crack Open Case Amid Attempted Cover-Up
What initially appeared to be a sudden medical emergency in a remote village of Baramati turned into a chilling murder case that shook the local community and stunned the investigating officers.
The tragic death of 9-year-old Piyush Bhandalkar in January this year revealed a dark side of domestic violence and misplaced rage, when police uncovered that his own father allegedly strangled him to death.
Sources say the father, in a fit of rage, slammed his son’s head against a wall for not studying well.
From a Playful Afternoon to a Tragic End
On a quiet January afternoon, Piyush was happily playing marbles with his younger brother and friends in their village in Baramati taluka, Pune district, around 90 km from the city.
Their father, Vijay Bhandalkar, 40, who worked as a staff member at the Hol village gram panchayat, came to fetch the boys and took them home.
Within hours, Piyush was rushed to a doctor, with family members claiming he had fainted and fallen unconscious.
The doctor declared him dead, and his body was taken home and later to a local crematorium for the last rites. But as events unfolded, it became clear that the boy’s death was not natural—it was a deliberate act of violence.
Police Intervention at the Crematorium
The Vadgaon Nimbalkar police station received information on the evening of January 14 about suspicious circumstances surrounding the death and the unusually hasty preparation for Piyush’s funeral.
Acting swiftly, Inspector Sachin Kale instructed Sub Inspector Rahul Sabale and his team to intervene. They rushed to the crematorium, where hundreds of villagers had gathered in grief.
The atmosphere was tense as Vijay, along with his mother Shalan and cousin Santosh, resisted the police and created a scene, attempting to prevent the body from being taken away.
Despite opposition, the police managed to convince the crowd that a post-mortem was essential to rule out foul play. This decision later proved crucial.
Autopsy Reveals the Truth
The autopsy results dealt a shocking blow to the family’s narrative. The advanced report indicated death due to compression of the neck, pointing unmistakably to strangulation rather than fainting. With this revelation, a murder investigation was immediately launched.
What Really Happened at Home
As police pieced together events from family statements and eyewitness accounts, a disturbing picture emerged. After reaching home, Vijay allegedly began scolding and thrashing Piyush for not focusing on his studies and “wasting time playing.”
Enraged, Vijay reportedly shouted that the boy was “behaving like his mother,” from whom he had been separated for several years.
In a fit of anger, Vijay allegedly slammed Piyush’s head against a wall. When the boy became unresponsive, Vijay strangled him to death.
In an effort to cover up the crime, Vijay, Shalan, and Santosh spread the word that Piyush had simply fainted.
Ignoring Medical Advice
Piyush was taken first to a doctor in Vadgaon Nimbalkar and then to another in Purandar, both of whom pronounced him dead. Crucially, the doctor in Purandar directed the family to conduct an autopsy at a government hospital.
Instead, the family ignored the advice and attempted to push forward with funeral preparations.
This raised immediate suspicion for the police, eventually leading to the unraveling of the truth.
Arrests and Legal Action
Once the sequence of events was confirmed, the police arrested Vijay on charges of murder. His mother, Shalan, and cousin Santosh were also arrested for giving false information to shield the offender.
A detailed chargesheet has since been filed against all three. Vijay remains in judicial custody, while Shalan and Santosh are currently out on bail. The trial against the accused is ongoing in court.
The case of young Piyush’s death stands as a grim reminder of how unchecked anger and deep-rooted family conflicts can escalate into irreversible tragedy.
It also underscores the importance of swift police intervention and mandatory medical procedures, which prevented the crime from being buried—literally—without investigation.
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