Chilling plot behind Atharva Nanore’s murder: Kidnapping plan hatched at tea stall

Nagpur: A modest roadside tea stall in Gittikhadan has emerged as the sinister starting point of a cold-blooded crime that has shaken Nagpur. What appeared to be an ordinary gathering over cups of tea is now believed to be the moment when three young men finalised a plot that would end the life of a 14-year-old boy within hours.

Gittikhadan Police on Friday recorded the statement of the local tea vendor, popularly known as ‘Kadak Chaiwala’, after investigators discovered that the accused allegedly discussed and finalised their plan at his stall before carrying out the kidnapping and murder of Atharva Dilip Nanore.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone II) Nityanand Jha confirmed that the tea seller has become a crucial witness in the investigation.

“The accused had discussed their plan at the tea stall. We have recorded the statement of the chaiwala and are also examining CCTV footage from nearby locations to trace the movements of the accused before and after the crime,” Jha said.

The brutal murder of the teenager has sent shockwaves across the city. According to investigators, the crime was not impulsive but the result of a carefully thought-out ransom plot driven by greed.

Police said the three accused, Jai Ramgopal Yadav (19), Ketan alias Kunal Ramesh Sahu (22), and Ayush Mohan Sahu (19), had been plotting the kidnapping for several days. Jai allegedly learned that Atharva’s father possessed a substantial amount of money and began seeing the boy as a target for ransom.

Driven by the lure of easy money, Jai allegedly recruited his two associates, and the trio began planning how to abduct the teenager without raising suspicion.

Investigators believe the final details of the plan were discussed at the tea stall, where the accused casually gathered like any other customers, masking a conspiracy that would soon unfold into a tragic crime.

The plot was executed on April 2, the day of Hanuman Jayanti, when the city was busy with religious celebrations. Around 10.45 pm, Jai allegedly lured Atharva, taking advantage of the boy’s familiarity with him. The teenager was then abducted.

However, what followed was chilling in its speed and brutality. Police investigations revealed that within just four hours of his disappearance, Atharva was killed, eliminating any possibility of ransom negotiations.

To piece together the sequence of events, police conducted a detailed reconstruction of the crime on Thursday. Under the supervision of DCP Nityanand Jha and the leadership of Assistant Commissioner of Police Suhas Jagtap, the accused were taken to multiple locations connected to the crime.

Investigators retraced every step of the fatal journey, from the point where Atharva was allegedly abducted to the location where his body was dumped.

The reconstruction exercise, which lasted from 1 pm to 5 pm, was fully videographed, allowing investigators to document the accused narrating and demonstrating how the crime unfolded.

Officials say the exercise helped the police verify crucial details, identify missing links, and match the accused’s statements with physical evidence and CCTV footage.

Meanwhile, after the completion of their initial police custody remand (PCR), the accused were produced before the court. Considering the heinous nature of the crime and the need for further interrogation, the court has extended their police custody by five more days.

Investigators are now focusing on collecting additional evidence, verifying digital trails, and strengthening the case before filing a chargesheet.

For the city of Nagpur, the case has become a disturbing reminder of how quickly greed and criminal intent can turn an ordinary evening into a horrific tragedy, and how a simple tea stall conversation may have sealed the fate of a young boy.

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