A shocking incident has come to light in Uttar Pradesh's Jhansi district, where a former village head (Pradhan) allegedly murdered his lover and dismembered her body into seven pieces. The accused, identified as Sanjay Patel, has been arrested along with his nephew Sandeep Patel, while a search is underway for a third accomplice, Pradeep alias Deepak Ahirwar.
The gruesome details of the crime emerged after police discovered a beheaded body near Kishorpura village a few days prior. Subsequent investigations led to the recovery of human remains from a well and the Lakheri river. The victim was identified as Rachna Yadav, 35.
According to police reports, Sanjay Patel, who is married with children, was involved in an affair with Rachna Yadav for the past two years. The motive behind the murder appears to be Rachna's insistence on marrying Patel. Patel, unwilling to marry her, allegedly conspired with his nephew Sandeep and friend Deepak to eliminate her.
The trio allegedly strangled Rachna to death before chopping her body into seven pieces. They then disposed of the body parts in a well and the river in an attempt to conceal her identity. Police recovered two sacks containing body parts from a well on August 13, which triggered an intensive investigation. Eight police teams were formed to investigate the crime. The breakthrough came when the victim was identified as Rachna Yadav on Tuesday. Further investigation led to the arrest of Sanjay Patel and his nephew Sandeep. At the time of arrest, the police recovered the woman's head and other body parts from the river.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) B.B.G.T.S. Murthy stated that Sanjay Patel was in a relationship with Rachna for two years, and she had been pressuring him to marry her. Patel, however, did not want to marry her and plotted with his nephew Sandeep and Pradeep Ahirwar to kill her.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the region, highlighting the issue of relationships and the tragic consequences of disagreements. This is not an isolated incident, as other recent crimes in Uttar Pradesh reflect a disturbing trend. In Bahraich, a man out on bail for his brother's murder allegedly killed his widowed sister-in-law and her three daughters. In Hathras, a man allegedly stabbed his wife to death after discovering her affair.
The police are continuing their search for the absconding accused, Pradeep alias Deepak Ahirwar, and have announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for information leading to his arrest. The arrested individuals have been sent to jail.
