Couple with legs chained found dead in Tapi river, Dhule police suspect suicide

Shyam Patil and his wife Sapna were discovered dead in the Tapi river in Dhule.

NASHIK: A 35-year-old man and his wife (19) with their legs chained were found dead on Thursday afternoon in Tapi river in Dhule.The deceased have been identified as Shyam Patil and his wife Sapna, residents of Padalse village in Amalner taluka of Jalgaon district.

Nardana police suspect it to be a case of suicide after investigations.Some people informed police about two bodies floating in Tapi river around 12.30pm on Thursday. After reaching the spot, officers found that one of the legs of the man was chained and padlocked to a leg of the woman.Assistant inspector Sachin Kapadnis of Nardana police said residents of the area spotted a motorcycle parked near the spot since Wednesday afternoon.

This suggested that the couple had drowned at least 24 hours earlier, he said.After identifying the couple using the vehicle’s registration details, police contacted the brother-in-law of the victim, Shyam. According to Kapadnis, the victim’s brother-in-law revealed that Shyam had called him around 1am on Wednesday and said “everything was over”.“Shyam told his brother-in-law that he was leaving, before switching off his phone.

Shyam’s brother-in-law could not contact him thereafter despite making repeated calls,” Kapadnis said.Police suspect the couple drowned shortly after the phone call. Shyam, an employee of a private firm in Jalgaon, had married Sapna about four months ago. It was his second marriage. An investigation is under way to determine the circumstances that led the couple to take the extreme step.

Key highlights

• Couple found dead in Tapi river: A 35-year-old man, Shyam Patil, and his 19-year-old wife, Sapna, were found dead in the Tapi river in Dhule on Thursday afternoon.
• Legs chained and padlocked together: Police found one of Shyam’s legs chained and padlocked to one of Sapna’s legs when the bodies were discovered.
• Bodies spotted around 12.30pm: Local residents alerted police after noticing two bodies floating in the river on Thursday afternoon.
• Motorcycle parked since Wednesday: Residents had reportedly noticed a motorcycle near the spot since Wednesday afternoon, suggesting the couple may have drowned at least 24 hours before their bodies were found.
• Late-night phone call before disappearance: Shyam reportedly called his brother-in-law around 1am on Wednesday, saying “everything was over” and that he was leaving, before switching off his phone.
• Couple married four months ago: Shyam, an employee of a private firm in Jalgaon, had married Sapna around four months earlier. It was his second marriage.
• Police investigation underway: Nardana police suspect suicide but are continuing their investigation to establish the circumstances surrounding the couple’s deaths.