College student stabbed to death in Sindhudurg's Varde village; 22-year-old held within hours

A 23-year-old college student, Damini Kiran Palav, was stabbed to death on Saturday night in Varde village under the Kudal police station limits in Sindhudurg district. The village is near Oros Khurd. The killing is reported to have been the result of one-sided love. The incident has caused a sensation across the area.

Police arrested the suspect, Sahil Vishram Dhuri, 22, within a few hours. A court in Kudal has sent him to police custody for seven days, till October 24.

Damini studied at a hotel management college in Kudal. As on any other day, she left home in the morning for college but did not return in the evening. At around 6 pm, her father was told that she had been murdered. When he reached the spot and saw his daughter's blood-soaked body, he broke down in tears.

The district Superintendent of Police took serious note of the crime and an investigation was started immediately. Teams from the Kudal, Sindhudurgnagari, Nivati and Sawantwadi police stations were deployed to search for the suspect, along with teams of the Local Crime Branch.

Acting on information gathered during the investigation, police took Sahil into custody at night. On Sunday the suspect was produced before the court in Kudal. Police sought his custody to recover the weapon used in the murder. They also want to find out whether anyone else was involved and whether it was all done as part of a premeditated plan. The court granted the request.

The investigation is continuing. The charges against Sahil Dhuri remain allegations, and further details will emerge after questioning in police custody. Local residents are in shock over the incident.