Jhansi: With the arrest of a 45-year-old man police have solved the murder case of a 49-year-old woman whose half-burnt body was found near a drain in the forest area of Pathakaraka village under Uldan police station on Friday.The accused has been identified as Pramod Kushwaha, who is also he nephew of the deceased. The victim, Ladkunwar alias Lovely, a resident of Bangradhawa village and known locally as a folk singer, was allegedly raped and murdered by the accused before he attempted to destroy evidence by setting her body on fire.According to police officials, the accused confessed to the crime during interrogation. Investigators revealed that both the accused and the deceased had earlier been named in a murder case and had spent nearly two years in jail before securing bail. During questioning, Pramod allegedly told police that the deceased had been extorting money from him in connection with the old case, which led him to plan the murder. Villagers also claimed that both individuals were allegedly involved in a relationship.The case came to light on Friday, when villagers discovered a half-burnt female body lying near a drain alongside agricultural fields in Pathakaraka village. The gruesome sight created panic in the area, prompting Uldan police to rush to the scene and begin an investigation. After considerable efforts, the body was identified by the victim’s son, Akhilesh Kushwaha.SP, city, Preeti Singh said that during the investigation police questioned several local residents and gathered important leads, eventually zeroing in on Pramod Kushwaha. Acting on a tip-off, police arrested him from a forest near Sijara Tiraha. According to police, the accused raped the woman and later strangled her fearing exposure before transporting the body to the fields and setting it ablaze to conceal her identity. Police have also recovered a keypad mobile phone and a motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. Further investigation is underway.
