Maharashtra man kills wife 8 days after delivery, then burns her face; arrested

AKOLA: In a chilling incident that has sent shockwaves across the district, police have arrested a man for allegedly murdering his wife and attempting to conceal her identity by burning her face near a temple.

The deceased has been identified as Ravina Pawar, who had given birth just eight days prior to the incident. The accused, Sadiq Shah Tashreef Shah, is her husband.

The case came to light on Monday after police received information about a partially burnt body of a woman, aged around 30 to 32 years, lying near Annapurna Mata temple within the jurisdiction of Dabki Road police station. Acting swiftly, police reached the spot, carried out a panchnama, and sent the body for postmortem examination.

With the face severely charred, the woman's identity remained unknown initially. Police later released details through press notes and social media, which helped establish her identity as Ravina Pawar.

During investigation, suspicion fell on her husband, Sadiq Shah, who was later traced to Barshi Takli, where he had taken shelter at his sister's house. He was subsequently arrested on Wednesday.

Police said the couple, originally from Shelu Bazaar in Washim district, had a love marriage and were working in Mumbai. They had recently come to Akola for delivery and were staying in a rented house. Ravina had given birth to a baby just eight days before the incident.

According to investigators, frequent domestic disputes between the couple escalated fatally. The accused allegedly strangled his wife to death and later dumped her body near the temple. In an attempt to conceal her identity, he poured petrol on her face and set it on fire before fleeing.

CCTV footage from nearby areas played a crucial role in tracking the accused, with multiple police teams working simultaneously to nab him.

Adding an emotional dimension to the case, police officials said the couple's eight-day-old newborn was with the accused at the time of his arrest. From the moment he was taken into custody, women police personnel stepped in to care for the infant at the police station, ensuring the child's safety and immediate needs.

Subsequently, the police coordinated with the child welfare department, which has now taken responsibility for the newborn's care and support.

The accused will be produced before a court on Thursday, and further investigation is in progress.

DCP (Zone) Sudarshan Patil confirmed the arrest, stating that no matter how meticulously a crime is planned, it cannot evade the law for long.