Daijiworld Media Network – Bhopal
Bhopal, Feb 14: In a chilling case of love, betrayal and murder, a decomposed body of a 33-year-old woman was recovered from a septic tank in Bhopal’s Nishatpura area on Thursday evening. Police claimed to have cracked the case within 24 hours.
The deceased has been identified as Ashrafi alias Siya, a native of Gondia district in Maharashtra. According to investigators, she was allegedly strangled on Monday by her married lover Sameer, who reportedly took the help of his family members to dispose of the body.
Police said Siya and Sameer had connected through Instagram nearly a year ago. What began as casual conversations soon turned into an affair. Around three months ago, Siya left her home in Maharashtra and shifted to Bhopal to live with Sameer at his Kamla Nagar residence.
However, Sameer was already married and father to two children. As Siya began staying in the house, frequent quarrels reportedly broke out between her and Sameer’s wife. Neighbours informed police about regular arguments and tension in the household.
Investigators revealed that Siya was allegedly pressuring Sameer to marry her. She had reportedly demanded Rs 5 lakh if he refused and threatened legal action. The domestic discord intensified, and Sameer’s wife is said to have left for her parental home in Jabalpur due to the ongoing disputes.
On Monday evening, another heated argument reportedly took place between the couple. In a fit of rage, Sameer allegedly strangled Siya to death.
To destroy evidence, police said Sameer sought the help of his brother, mother and sister. The body was allegedly packed inside an iron box and dumped into a septic tank in a vacant plot near their residence during the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.
The crime came to light on Thursday evening when children playing nearby complained of a foul smell from the tank. Residents noticed an iron box floating inside and alerted police. Upon inspection, officers recovered the decomposed body from the box.
Due to advanced decomposition, visible injury marks were unclear. However, police identified the victim through a distinctive tattoo of a lamp on her hand along with the date “26 May 1992,” believed to be her birth date.
Manoj Patwa, Inspector of Nishatpura police station, stated that the body appeared to be three to four days old and preliminary findings suggested strangulation.
While Sameer remains absconding, police have arrested his brother, mother and sister for allegedly assisting in disposing of the body. His wife is also being questioned. Officials suspect that more family members may have been aware of the crime.
Police sources further indicated that Siya had reportedly been married three times earlier in Maharashtra and Rajasthan. However, officers clarified that the exact motive and sequence of events will be confirmed only after forensic examination and post-mortem reports are completed.