A 26-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her live-in partner in Pune's Wagholi area after a dispute triggered by suspicions over her character. The crime remained hidden for several days until residents noticed a foul smell coming from the locked house, leading police to discover the woman's decomposed body inside. The accused, who had allegedly fled after the incident, has since been arrested.
The deceased has been identified as Rihata Khatun, a native of Medinipur district in West Bengal. Based on a complaint lodged by Imran Rajesab Bodle Khan, the Wagholi Police registered a murder case against the accused, Ravi Sameer Vairal.
According to the police, Rihata and Ravi had been living together in the Awhalwadi area of Wagholi for nearly two years. Investigators revealed that Ravi had been suspecting Rihata's character for some time, resulting in frequent arguments between the couple.
On May 28, another dispute reportedly broke out between them. During the heated argument, Ravi allegedly assaulted Rihata and strangled her to death. After realising she had died, he allegedly locked the house from the outside and fled the area.
Senior Police Inspector Nand Kumar Gaikwad of Wagholi Police Station said that Ravi had initially intended to marry Rihata. However, he later began doubting her character, which often led to quarrels. Following the murder, he allegedly escaped to Parbhani. As the body decomposed inside the locked house, a strong foul smell began emanating from the premises, alerting local residents. Suspecting something was wrong, they informed the police.
Police rushed to the spot, broke open the lock, and entered the house, where they found Rihata's body in a decomposed state. A case was subsequently registered on June 1.
The accused has since been arrested and remanded to police custody. Further investigation into the case is underway.
