In Pune, two cousins were arrested from Junnar taluka for the murder of a 20-year-old youth on August 2. The victim was bludgeoned to death and his body was dumped into a gorge at Phalode village in Ambegaon taluka, about 110 km from the city. The Pune Rural police revealed that the murder stemmed from a land dispute. The crime was uncovered during the investigation of a missing person's complaint filed by the victim's father, Nikhil Gholap, with the Otur police on August 7. The suspects, Abhishek Gholap (21) and Jitendra Gholap (31) of Watkhale village in Junnar taluka, were charged under sections 103 (murder), 61 (criminal conspiracy), and 238 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The Ghodegaon police discovered Nikhil's decomposed body on August 15, which was later identified by his relatives. The suspects initially denied involvement but later confessed to the crime after being questioned by the police. The victim's family had a long-standing land dispute with the suspects.The two individuals who were arrested stated that the victim, Nikhil, had been harassing and mistreating them for several months. Feeling overwhelmed by the harassment, they allegedly planned to kill Nikhil, according to Tadvi. Nikhil, who lived by himself in Vatkhale as his parents had moved to Rajgurunagar for work, was reportedly lured by the duo under the pretense of a visit to Bhimashankar temple from the Junnar bus stand on the night of August 1. Along the way, they bought liquor for Nikhil, Tadvi noted. Upon reaching Phalode village in Ambegaon taluka, the suspects coerced Nikhil to drink alcohol. They then led Nikhil, who was intoxicated, towards a hillock. When he realized they were not headed to Bhimashankar, Nikhil began verbally abusing them. Subsequently, the duo struck him with a large stone and disposed of his body in a nearby gorge. They also threw Nikhil's cell phone into the Kukadi river, as mentioned by Tadvi.