A senior officer of the Gujarat Forest Department in Bhavnagar has been arrested for allegedly murdering his wife and two children, nine days after he reported them missing from Surat.
The bodies of the three were found buried in a secluded plot near the Forest Colony in Bhavnagar, sending shockwaves across the city. Police were alerted after a foul smell was detected from a vacant lot, prompting a search operation involving a dog squad.
During the excavation, investigators recovered the remains of the wife, daughter, and son of Assistant Conservator of Forests (ACF) Shailesh Khambhala.
Bhavnagar Superintendent of Police Nitesh Pandey said Khambhala had lodged a missing persons complaint on November 7. "Police conducted extensive searches but found no trace of the family," he said, adding that the accused tried to mislead investigators by claiming that CCTV footage showed his family travelling to Surat.
The family had reportedly come to Bhavnagar on vacation and was due to return to Surat. According to the accused, a dispute erupted when his wife refused to return to her in-laws' home and insisted on staying with him, leading to frequent arguments. Police said Khambhala allegedly killed his wife and children following a confrontation after the vacation.
Investigators, however, said they are not entirely convinced the murders stemmed solely from a domestic dispute. Khambhala has been arrested, and the bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination.
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