Top News

Nearly a year after a 50-year-old man went missing, Navi Mumbai Police have arrested his wife and her alleged lover for allegedly murdering him, dismembering his body and dumping the remains in a forest, officials said on Tuesday.

The accused, identified as Sunita Kushwaha (40) and Rahul Dashrath Prajapati (30), an autorickshaw driver, were arrested on Sunday following sustained interrogation after investigators reopened the missing person's case.

According to police, the victim, Baliram Suryanath Kushwaha, lived with his wife and their two children in Airoli. Investigators alleged that Sunita and Prajapati were involved in an extramarital relationship, which Baliram had opposed.

Police said the two then conspired to kill him.

According to the investigation, on the night of 9 August 2025, the couple allegedly sent the children to stay with a relative before attacking Baliram while he was asleep. Police alleged that he was first strangled and then his throat was slit.

Investigators said the accused subsequently cut the body into three pieces, packed the remains into sacks and transported them in an autorickshaw to the Gawli Dev hill forest, where the body parts were allegedly dumped at different locations in an attempt to destroy evidence.

After the incident, Sunita allegedly rented out the family's house in Airoli and shifted with her children to Ghansoli.

The case remained undetected until April this year, when Baliram's brother became suspicious after receiving what police described as evasive explanations about his disappearance. He subsequently lodged a missing person's complaint, prompting a fresh investigation.

During the probe, police found that the two accused had frequently changed their mobile phones and SIM cards in an alleged attempt to avoid detection. However, analysis of their call detail records reportedly revealed regular communication between them.

Police said both accused eventually confessed during questioning.

Some of the victim's remains have since been recovered from the Gawli Dev forest, while search operations are continuing to locate the remaining body parts.

The accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita relating to murder, destruction of evidence and common intention.

They were produced before a local court, which remanded them to seven days' police custody for further investigation.

With PTI inputs