Gujarat ACF arrested for killing wife, 2 children,burying bodies in pit

Bhavnagar police have arrested a forest officer for allegedly murdering his wife and two children, hiding their bodies in a pit near his official residence after a domestic dispute. The accused, Shailesh Khambhla, an Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF), was taken into custody on Monday for the deaths of his wife Naina (42), daughter Prutha (13), and son Bhavya (8).According to police, Khambhla allegedly strangled his family members one after another using a pillow on November 5. Investigators believe he had pre-planned the act, as he had earlier instructed subordinates to dig a pit using earth movers and dumpers near his residence in the forest colony. The bodies were later dragged to the pit, covered with stones to keep them submerged, and concealed further by placing a mattress over them.Khambhla had approached the police on November 14 claiming that his wife and children were missing, even visiting the police station with community leaders to pressure officials to trace their whereabouts. However, officers said his behavior raised suspicion from the outset.
Bhavnagar district superintendent of police Nitish Pandey said the accused “wasn’t sad or even agitated in the way a person whose family goes missing usually reacts.” Technical investigations, including phone location analysis and CCTV checks, showed no evidence of the victims leaving Bhavnagar, contradicting Khambhla’s statement that his family had gone to Surat.Police later received a tip-off about unusual activity near Khambhla’s residence around the time of the disappearance. They learned that a pit had been dug and subsequently filled on his instructions. Forest officials confirmed the digging, prompting police to reopen the site with the help of forensic teams and a dog squad. Three decomposed bodies were recovered on Sunday.
The FIR includes a statement by a junior forest official describing how Khambhla ordered a truckload of sand on the morning after the murders. The officer stated Khambhla prevented workers from approaching the pit, claiming a snake was nearby and alleging a blue bull had fallen into the pit the previous night. He then directed them to unload sand into the pit and used laborers to level the site.Police believe the 5-foot-deep pit was dug on November 2 as part of Khambhla’s plan. Investigators are now piecing together the sequence of events and the motive behind the killings, which they say stemmed from a family dispute after the wife insisted on staying with him rather than at her mother’s home in Surat.Khambhla allegedly showed no remorse during questioning, police said. Further investigation is underway.

(State Correspondent)