Nagpur: In a chilling crime reminiscent of the Bollywood thriller Drishyam, a 49-year-old teacher allegedly murdered his lover in Chandrapur, kept her body hidden in his car’s boot for nearly 24 hours and later buried it in a pit inside an abandoned house in Nagpur’s Hingna area. The accused allegedly covered the burial spot with floor tiles to conceal the crime and threw the victim’s mobile phone into a railway tunnel in an attempt to mislead investigators.
However, the alleged cover-up unravelled after police traced crucial clues through the victim’s mobile phone records and call detail records (CDRs). The accused, identified as Santosh Bhagwan Sakharkar, 49, a teacher, was arrested by Chandrapur police in connection with the murder of Vaishali Vilas Tiple, 45, a resident of Chandrapur.
According to the police, the two were in a relationship and allegedly had a dispute on October 14. During the altercation, Sakharkar allegedly struck Tiple on the chest with a heavy object, resulting in her death.
After the alleged murder, the accused reportedly placed the body inside the boot of his car and kept it concealed for nearly a day. Instead of disposing of the body in Chandrapur, he allegedly decided to transport it to Nagpur, where he had access to a house that had remained vacant for several years.
Body transported to Nagpur, buried inside abandoned house
On October 15, the accused allegedly drove from Chandrapur to Nagpur with the body concealed in his car. He reached the Aadhaar Nagari area in Hingna, where the vacant house was located.
Police said the accused allegedly dug a pit in a room behind the house, buried the body and covered the spot with floor tiles to prevent anyone from noticing signs of the burial. After allegedly completing the concealment, he returned to Chandrapur.
Investigators suspect that the accused also attempted to destroy a crucial link in the case by throwing the victim’s mobile phone into a railway tunnel while returning. The alleged move was intended to divert suspicion and obstruct the investigation, police sources indicated.
Missing woman complaint triggers investigation
Meanwhile, Chandrapur police had launched an investigation after a missing-person complaint was lodged following Tiple’s disappearance. During the probe, investigators examined mobile phone-related clues and call detail records, which reportedly helped them narrow their focus on Sakharkar.
During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to the murder and disclosed the location where he had buried the body in Hingna, according to the police account.
The information led Chandrapur police to coordinate with their counterparts in Nagpur and arrange a search of the abandoned property.
Midnight excavation leads to recovery of body
On the night of October 17, Chandrapur police brought the accused to Hingna to identify the burial spot. The excavation was carried out in the presence of local police personnel and revenue officials.
To document the recovery and preserve the procedural record, the entire operation was videographed. After digging at the indicated location, police recovered Tiple’s body from the pit at around 1.30 am on October 18.
Following the preparation of the panchnama and completion of the necessary formalities at the spot, the body was handed over to Chandrapur police for further legal proceedings.
Technical evidence exposes alleged cover-up
The case highlights how mobile phone records and coordinated police action can help unravel an alleged murder even when the accused attempts to conceal the body and dispose of potential evidence. Despite the alleged effort to bury the victim inside a vacant property and discard her phone, the investigation led police to the burial site.
Chandrapur police are continuing the investigation and pursuing further legal formalities in the case. The allegations against the accused will be subject to the legal process.
