Bengaluru, July 30 (IANS) A migrant woman from Bihar was allegedly murdered by her husband, who wrapped her body in a bedsheet and fled, with the crime remaining undiscovered for nearly five days until a foul smell from their rented accommodation alerted neighbours on the outskirts of Bengaluru, police said on Thursday.
The deceased has been identified as Reema Kumari, while her husband, Dheeraj Kumar, is the prime accused in the case. The incident occurred within the limits of the Kumbalagodu Police Station near the Bengaluru-Mysuru Expressway in the outskirts of Bengaluru.
According to police, the couple had moved to Bengaluru from Bihar around a year ago in search of employment and were working at a factory near Gerupalya. Investigators suspect that Dheeraj Kumar murdered his wife four to five days ago before escaping to his native place.
The gruesome incident came to light after Reema Kumari failed to report to work for several days. Concerned over her absence, one of her colleagues and friends visited the couple’s residence on Thursday and noticed a foul smell emanating from the house.
The house owner was subsequently informed and opened the door, only to find Reema Kumari’s body in a highly decomposed state. Police said the body had been wrapped in a bedsheet and kept near the toilet inside the house.
Preliminary investigations indicate that the murder may have taken place on Sunday. Neighbours told police that they had not seen Reema Kumari for the past four days but had initially assumed she was away.
Residents described the couple as friendly and said they had entered into a love marriage before moving to Bengaluru to start a new life. “They would leave for work every day around 8.30 a.m. and return in the evening. We never imagined something like this could happen,” a local resident said.
Police suspect that Dheeraj Kumar fled to Bihar soon after committing the crime. A manhunt has been launched to trace and arrest him.
As the body had decomposed significantly, it has been shifted to a mortuary for postmortem examination. Police are also verifying CCTV footage from the surrounding areas and gathering additional evidence to ascertain the motive behind the murder.
Further investigation is underway.
–IANS
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