Inebriated gym trainer kills 60-year-old security supervisor in Bhandup

MUMBAI: The Bhandup police have arrested a 43-year-old gym trainer for allegedly killing a 60-year-old man working as a security supervisor at Dreams Society in Bhandup. The accused was in an inebriated state when the security supervisor asked him to identify himself and the purpose of his visit to the housing society on Tuesday evening, following which he banged the supervisor’s head on a rock repeatedly, leading to his death, said police.
According to the police, the deceased, identified as Shivaji Barve, 60, lived with his family in Tembhipada in Bhandup and had been working as the security supervisor at Dreams Society for five years. On August 27, at around 9pm, while he was on night duty, a visitor picked up a fight with security guards when they asked him to identify himself and the purpose of his visit.
“The man identified himself as Vishal Eknath Gawde, but did not say whom he wanted to visit. Instead, he continued to proceed inside the society compound by overpowering the guards,” said senior inspector Dattatray Khandagle from Bhandup police station.
Gawde was employed as an instructor in the gym located inside the housing society before the Covid pandemic, said police. When Barve tried to stop and reason with him, he got enraged, they added.
“Gawde was drunk and he grabbed Barve’s head and banged it on the wall 2-3 times due to which the security guard sustained severe injuries and lost a lot of blood,” noted Khandagle.
Barve’s colleagues intervened in the fight and informed the police and his son Nilesh immediately. The security supervisor was rushed to a nearby hospital and shifted to KEM Hospital in Parel on Wednesday as his condition remained serious. He received several stitches on his head and was advised an operation as he had suffered a spine injury, said Nilesh.
The Bhandup police initially registered a case against Gawde under section 115 (2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 117(2) (voluntarily causing grievous hurt), and 352 (intentionally insulting another person) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita.
After Barve died on Thursday evening, they added section 103 (murder) of the BNS in the case and arrested Gawde, said Khandagle.
He was produced in court on Friday and remanded in police custody till September 2.