Maharashtra Married Man, Blackmailed By Lover, Found Dead In Car With Bullet In Head

A 38-year-old married businessman, Govind Jagannath Barge, was found dead inside his car with a gunshot wound to the head in Maharashtra's Solapur district.

The incident, initially registered as a suicide, has now led to the arrest of a 21-year-old Lavani dancer, Pooja Devidas Gaikwad, on charges of abetment to suicide.

Police recovered a pistol from inside the car, which was parked at Sasure village in Barshi Taluka in Solapur. The Vairag police on Tuesday morning discovered the car after they were alerted about the vehicle in the area. 

Police initially called it a suicide, but after receiving some information, they are now investigating all possible angles, including murder.

Govind Barge, a resident of Beed and a businessman by profession, was married and had two children. He was reportedly in a romantic relationship with Pooja Gaikwad, resident of Sasure village, a Lavani dancer associated with Pargaon Kala Kendra.

According to the police, Barge had allegedly gifted Gaikwad gold jewellery and a mobile phone worth approximately Rs 2.5 lakh. In the days leading up to his death, the two had frequent arguments. On Monday night, Govind reportedly drove to Pooja's residence.

Following the incident, Govind's brother-in-law, Laxman Jagannath Chavan filed a formal complaint with the Vairag police. In the complaint, Chavan alleged that Gaikwad had repeatedly blackmailed Govind for money by threatening to file a rape case against him. He also claimed that the two were not in contact recently, and Govind had been disturbed due to the ongoing harassment.

Based on the complaint, police arrested Pooja Gaikwad under charges of abetment to suicide.

However, the family of the victim has raised serious doubts about the suicide theory and allege that this is a case of murder.