CCTV footage doesn’t show Atharva being beaten: Police

Drug experts say it is not practically possible for a person, high on lethal cocktail of alcohol and drugs, to cover a stretch of over 2 km

The Aarey police have scrutinised nearly three dozens CCTV footage in Atharva Shinde’s murder case but the investigators are yet to reach any conclusion so far.

To seek ‘detailed death report’ of Atharva, the Aarey police have raised 20 queries related to the injuries he has sustained.

There were a lot of abrasions on Atharva’s body, his both the eyes were black and lacerations on his private part as doctors at Siddharth Hospital suspect that something was inserted into it. His body was found near a lake in Royal Palms on Wednesday morning.

Over two dozen youth, between age group of 18 and 20, attended a girl’s birthday party in which alcohol and drugs flowed for whole night on Monday. Most of the attendees did not know each other but they all were dancing amidst loud electronic music at Bungalow number 212 of elite Royal Palms. On Tuesday morning, Atharva and his female friend left the party venue. After walking for few metres, his female friend fell down on the road and Atharva kept walking as he was under the influence of lethal cocktail of drink and drugs. The senior inspector of Aarey police station Vijayalakshmi Hiremath said, “We have thoroughly scrutinised the CCTV footage but nowhere he (Atharva) is seen being assaulted or chased by anyone.”

The police said he walked for over 2km and reached the spot near the lake where his father Narendra Shinde, senior inspector with EOW, found his body during combing operation on last Wednesday morning.

Atharva’s friends and family believe that he could have been killed by someone for unknown reasons as it is practically impossible for a person, high on lethal cocktail of drugs and alcohol, to walk for over 2km.

“It depends upon the amount of drugs he has consumed. It is very much possible for a drugged person to walk for few metres but he would collapse after its side effect starts kicking you in,” said Rakesh Singh, director of Malad-based de-addiction centre Hands For You. Administrative director and family therapist Vandana Hiranandani from Pune-based de-addiction centre Anatta Humanversity said, “It is very subjective. The reaction of drugs varies from person to person as one person’s metabolism is different from another's.” The police have thoroughly quizzed all the attendees for several days. On Monday five attendees, two girls and three boys, from Santa Cruz and Khar were called in by Aarey police in connection with the sensitive case. “We do not know who Atharva is. We were just there to celebrate birthday of our common friend. We never interacted with him before and after party. An officer asked us to visit here to record our statements in the case. We have reached here (Aarey police station) for the first time,” one of the girls said.

Responding to a query if any brawl broke out inside party, she said, “There were total 25 people in the party and few of them left the venue mid-night. Only 12 people including us stayed overnight. There was no fight or heated argument in the patry. We all were enjoying party and left the premises next morning. On Wednesday we learnt that a boy had gone missing from the party and his body has been found.”