Wife’s cousin arrested for death of man who drowned in Randarda Lake

Rajkot: A 26-year-old man whose body was recovered from Randarda Lake in the Aji Dam police station area has led to the arrest of his wife's cousin on charges of abetment to suicide.

The deceased, identified as Vipul Rathod, a resident of Yuvrajnagar, was found dead in the lake on June 7. Initially suspecting foul play, family members alleged that Vipul was murdered, prompting the Aji Dam police to conduct a forensic post-mortem examination.

However, the report confirmed that the cause of death was drowning.

Following a complaint filed by Vipul's mother, Ranjan Rathod, police registered a case under Section 108 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against 27-year-old Kishan Solanki and subsequently arrested him.

According to the complaint, Vipul married Payal after developing a romantic relationship around six years ago. The couple had two children, a 5-year-old son and a 3-year-old daughter.

Family members alleged that marital disputes had become frequent due to Payal's alleged extramarital relationships. For the past one-and-a-half years, Payal reportedly was living with her parents along with the children.

The complaint further alleges that Vipul recently came to know about an alleged relationship between his wife and her cousin, Kishan Solanki, which led to repeated arguments and confrontations.. According to family members, Vipul left home on the morning of June 6. Later that day, another altercation allegedly took place between Vipul and Kishan. The complainant alleged that Kishan chased Vipul with a weapon, causing him to flee towards Randarda Lake and jump into the water out of fear.

After Vipul went missing, family members and fire brigade personnel searched the lake area and found his slippers near the shore. The following morning, firefighters recovered his body from the lake.

In her complaint, the deceased’s mother Ranjan Rathod alleged that her son was under severe mental stress and was driven to take the extreme step due to the behaviour and threats allegedly issued by Kishan Solanki.

Ajidam Police Inspector Haresh Patel said investigators seized a rickshaw and a weapon as part of the probe. Preliminary investigation revealed that Kishan Solanki worked as a rickshaw driver, while Vipul Rathod was employed as a labourer.

Police officials said statements of Vipul's wife, Payal, will be recorded as part of the investigation. Investigators will examine the nature of the relationship between Payal and Kishan, the duration of their alleged association, and the circumstances under which Payal left her matrimonial home and began living with her parents.