Nagpur: An empty chips packet discarded near the body of an unidentified elderly woman became the first breakthrough in a gruesome rape and murder investigation that initially had almost no leads. Within just 10 days, Nagpur Rural Police solved the case by combining scientific investigation, CCTV analysis, and artificial intelligence-based facial reconstruction.

The victim, believed to be between 65 and 70 years old, was found dead in a farm near Patansaongi under Saoner Police Station limits on June 28. A post-mortem confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted and murdered.

Chips Packet Led Investigators to CCTV Trail

Investigators recovered only one significant clue from the crime scene—an empty packet of Balaji chips.

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Instead of dismissing it as ordinary litter, the investigation team led by Nagpur Rural Police traced the distribution chain of the chips packet to nearby shops. Officers collected CCTV footage from those locations, eventually identifying a suspect moving through the area.

The CCTV footage became the first major breakthrough, allowing police to establish a chain of evidence that led to the accused.

AI Reconstructed Faces of Victim and Accused

Police also used MARVEL (Maharashtra Research and Vigilance for Enhanced Law Enforcement), an AI-powered investigative platform, to digitally reconstruct the faces of both the unidentified victim and the suspect.

The reconstructed images helped investigators gather additional leads and strengthened the investigation, demonstrating how artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming an important tool in criminal investigations.

Accused Arrested

Police identified and arrested Sudhakar Dadarao Mandpe (48), a resident of Bansali Takli in Saoner taluka, from Nagpur city on July 6. He was produced before a court and remanded to police custody.

Officials said the case was solved through meticulous evidence collection, CCTV analysis, forensic investigation, and the effective use of AI technology.