A police dog has helped solve a murder case in Maharashtra's Thane district, leading to the arrest of a "serial offender" from Mumbai, officials said on Thursday.
The accused, Yogesh Eknath Rane (40), allegedly killed his friend, Rajesh Yogiraj Prabhulkar (49), over a monetary dispute earlier this month, they said.
The victim's body, with his head and face crushed, was found on April 21 near the Bhatsa river in the Khadavli area, following which police registered a case on charges of murder against unidentified persons.
Bailey, a canine from the dog squad, guided investigators to Khadavli railway station based on the items found near the body, a police release said.
The police then examined 100 to 150 CCTV footages from Khadavli to Mumbai and checked records of nearly 80 missing persons.
Based on the analysis, the police zeroed in on Rane as the suspect. He used to wander in Mumbai, always wearing a cap to avoid identification and frequently changing routes in crowded areas like Dadar, Byculla and Lower Parel, the release said.
The accused was apprehended from Lower Parel in Mumbai on Tuesday, it said.
According to the police, the victim and the accused were friends and worked in a catering agency.
On April 20, they went to the Bhatsa river to bathe. The accused had entrusted money to the victim, and an argument broke out over it. The accused allegedly smashed his friend's head and face with a stone to prevent identification, the police said.
According to the police, the accused has a criminal history. On Monday, a case was registered against him in Mumbai for allegedly stealing mobile phones.
Earlier, cases on charges of murder and attempt to murder had been registered against him in Raigad and Mumbai, they said.