Woman kills daughter-in-law over dead son’s government job, gratuity

 

IMAGE IS AI GENERATED

By Sagaya Fernando | December 4, 2026

A 60-year-old woman from Maharashtra’s Thane district has been arrested for allegedly murdering her daughter-in-law following a dispute over her deceased son’s railway job and gratuity money, police said on Saturday January 3.

The accused, Latabai Natha Gangurde, allegedly wanted to retain her son’s gratuity amount and ensure that her grandson, rather than the victim, secured a job on compassionate grounds, an official said.

On January 1, police were alerted about a woman with severe head and facial injuries found lying near the Waldhuni bridge in the Kalyan area. She was rushed to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead on arrival. An Accidental Death Report (ADR) was initially registered at the Mahatma Phule Chowk police station, and the body was sent for post-mortem.

The case took a turn when Latabai approached the police, claiming that her daughter-in-law, Rupali Vilas Gangurde (35), had been missing since 8 am. She later identified the deceased woman found near the bridge as Rupali.

However, suspicions arose during questioning by a crime branch team led by Inspector Vijay Naik. Rupali’s husband, Vilas Gangurde, a railway employee, had died in September 2025. After his death, Rupali had received gratuity amounting to ₹9–10 lakh, which Latabai allegedly demanded.

Police said disputes also arose over Vilas’s railway job. While Rupali had applied for the post on compassionate grounds, Latabai wanted her 15-year-old grandson to be recruited instead.

According to investigators, Latabai conspired with her friend Jagdish Mahadev Mhatre (67) to kill Rupali. On the night before the body was found, the duo allegedly assaulted Rupali with an iron rod, killing her on the spot. They then wiped bloodstains, changed the victim’s blood-soaked clothes, and dumped her body near the bridge, police said.

“This was a cold-blooded crime driven by greed for money and control over a government job. The accused tried to mislead the investigation by filing a missing person report for the very woman they had murdered. Our team cracked the case within 24 hours,” said Kalyanji Gete, Assistant Commissioner of Police, Kalyan Division.

Both Latabai Gangurde and Jagdish Mhatre have been arrested on charges of murder and causing the disappearance of evidence, police added.