New Delhi: Six months after a 22 year old man was reported missing in Madhya Pradesh’s Deori town, police claim they have uncovered a chilling murder plot that allegedly stemmed from an extramarital affair and drug addiction.
Investigators exhumed a septic tank located behind the accused’s house and recovered a skull along with skeletal fragments that are believed to belong to the missing man. The remains have been sent for DNA testing to establish identity, police said.
Prince Balmiki, a resident of Sagar district, had been reported missing on August 20 last year by his wife Tulsi. For months, the case made little progress. However, his family maintained that his disappearance was suspicious and continued to push authorities for a thorough probe.
Social media marriage under cloud
According to police, Prince and Tulsi’s marriage had begun after they connected through social media. Investigators now allege that Tulsi was already in a relationship with Shoaib before her wedding and that the relationship continued even after she married Prince.
Officials claim that within weeks of the marriage, tensions began surfacing at home. Frequent arguments were reported and the couple later shifted to Deori, where Tulsi’s parental house is located.
Alleged conspiracy and drug trail
Police allege that Shoaib befriended Prince while he was staying in Deori. During the course of their interaction, Shoaib, who investigators say was addicted to smack, allegedly introduced Prince to the substance and got him dependent on it.
Under the influence of drugs, Shoaib is accused of continuing to meet Tulsi secretly. When Prince reportedly found out about the affair and objected, the situation escalated.
Investigating Officer Inspector Hariram Mankar said that Shoaib confessed to drugging and killing Prince on August 20. He allegedly disposed of the body in a septic tank behind his house and covered it with garbage in an attempt to conceal the crime. Police further claim that the accused regularly monitored the site for nearly a month and sprinkled salt over the body to hasten decomposition.
Arrest after technical surveillance
The case saw a breakthrough when police relied on technical surveillance and mobile location tracking. Shoaib was eventually traced and arrested in Narsinghpur district.
After the alleged murder, Shoaib and Tulsi are said to have fled to Gujarat, where they were living together. Videos of the two reportedly surfaced and reached Prince’s family, strengthening their suspicions. Acting on information provided by the family and electronic evidence, police tracked down Shoaib.
Prince’s brother reiterated the family’s long standing doubts about the disappearance. “We never accepted that he simply went missing. We kept pressing for investigation,” he said.
The Superintendent of Police said further questioning is underway and additional angles are being explored. “Strict action will be taken against anyone found complicit,” he stated.
The accused has been produced before a court and police are likely to seek remand as they continue to piece together the details of a crime that remained hidden for half a year.