Nagpur: In a striking example of meticulous police work, the brutal murder of 38-year-old Nagpur hotelier Rahul Shahu was unravelled within just 12 hours, thanks to an unlikely clue: A discarded puppy milk label found on a sack used to dump his body.
What initially appeared to be a routine recovery of a decomposed body near Nara crematorium soon turned into a high-stakes investigation, where a minor detail proved decisive.
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Apr 24 2026 - Time 10.30Hrs
When Jaripatka Police reached the crime scene near Nara Ghat following complaints of a foul smell, they recovered a body stuffed inside two sacks and wrapped in a red blanket. Amid the grim discovery, Senior Inspector Anil Taksande and his team noticed a printed label on one of the sacks, a pouch of puppy milk, typically sold at pet shops.
Recognising the potential significance, investigators quickly shifted focus. Instead of relying solely on conventional leads, they began mapping pet shops in the Jaripatka-Nara belt that stocked similar products. This sharp pivot in strategy led them to a closed pet shop in Jaripatka. Locals identified its owner as “Navin” from Nara, setting off a chain reaction.
Police traced the lead to 46-year-old Naveen Pundkar, a former pet shop owner now working as an e-rickshaw driver in Kohinoor Society, Nara. When questioned, inconsistencies in his statements quickly surfaced. Under sustained interrogation, Pundkar allegedly confessed to the murder, exposing a disturbing motive rooted in financial dealings and personal outrage.
According to police, Pundkar had borrowed Rs 35,000 from Shahu at high interest. Despite repaying both principal and interest, Shahu allegedly continued to pressure him for more money. The situation reportedly escalated when Shahu made derogatory remarks about Pundkar’s teenage daughter, even offering to waive the interest in exchange for “favours.”
This alleged provocation appears to have pushed Pundkar over the edge.
On April 20, Pundkar allegedly lured Shahu to his rented residence in Nara. Shahu had parked his scooter near a convention centre on Kamptee Road before heading to the house. With Pundkar’s wife and daughter away, the two engaged in a discussion that soon spiralled into a heated argument.
In what police describe as a frenzied attack, Pundkar stabbed Shahu 16 times, including deep wounds to the forehead. He then wrapped the body in a blanket, stuffed it into sacks, including one carrying the fatal puppy milk label, and attempted to erase traces of the crime.
In a calculated move to avoid suspicion, Pundkar resumed his routine e-rickshaw duties during the day. Later, under the cover of darkness, he dumped the body in a drain beneath the Nara Ghat bridge after midnight.
Meanwhile, Shahu’s elder brother, Lucky, had filed a missing complaint at Sadar Police Station on April 21. A day later, locals alerted authorities about a foul smell near Nara Ghat, leading to the recovery of the decomposed body.
The identity was confirmed through an ‘Om Sairam’ tattoo on Shahu’s left hand. The post-mortem report revealed multiple stab wounds, indicating the intensity of the assault.
Swift arrest and custody
Following his confession, Pundkar was arrested and produced before court, which remanded him to police custody till April 26.
What sets this case apart is not just the speed of the investigation, but the precision. A seemingly insignificant puppy milk label, easily overlooked, became the linchpin in solving a gruesome murder.
In a city grappling with rising crime complexities, this case underscores how sharp observation and ground-level intelligence can turn the tide within hours.
