News Maharashtra Mumbai: What was 'L01-501' and how did this number help solve 19-year-old girl’s murder?

Mumbai: What was 'L01-501' and how did this number help solve 19-year-old girl’s murder?

Thane: Deciphering the code, the police identified a numbered tree, aiding them in locating the victim's body. The woman was allegedly strangled to death in Kharghar Hills, and the investigation delves into the circumstances of this heart-wrenching crime.

Mumbai Image Source : PTI/FILE PHOTONavi Mumbai: Police bandobast outside Taloja Central Prison.

A missing 19-year-old woman, absent for 34 days, is found dead in Kharghar, Navi Mumbai. The investigation pointed to her jilted lover, who committed suicide, leaving behind a coded suicide note. Police decipher a "code" in the suicide note recovered from the lover's phone, revealing a number corresponding to a tree marked by forest officials. This crucial information aids in tracing the victim's body.

Strangled to death

Prima facie findings suggested the woman was strangled to death in the Kharghar Hills. The motive behind the crime is believed to be the accused's resentment over the woman ending their relationship.

Missing person case 

The woman disappeared on December 12 after leaving for college in Sion, prompting the registration of a missing person case at Kalamboli police station.

A jilted lover's suicide

Vaibhav Burungale, the accused, ended his life by jumping in front of a local train at Juinagar railway station on the same day. A suicide note on his mobile phone detailed the murder and his intention to commit suicide.

Special task force

Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Milind Bharambe established a special task force to investigate the case, emphasising its significance.

Code cracked 

The suicide note included coded words like 'L01-501,' which, once decoded by the police, led to the identification of a tree marked by the Forest Department.

Collaborative search

Police engaged voluntary rescuers, the Fire Brigade, Cidco, and the Forest Department, employing drones in their extensive search operation.

Body discovery

The breakthrough occurred when the woman's body was located in bushes in the Owe camp area dumping ground in Kharghar. Identification is based on her attire, wristwatch, and ID card.

Ongoing investigation

Further investigation into the motive and circumstances surrounding the crime is underway, with authorities seeking to unravel the details of this tragic incident.

Also read | Covid: 15 new cases of sub-variant JN.1 detected in Mumbai