In a shocking case from Kishorpura village in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh, a woman’s dismembered body was discovered in a well. The victim, identified as 35-year-old Rachna Yadav from Tikamgarh, Madhya Pradesh, was allegedly murdered by her lover, former village head Sanjay Patel, along with his nephew Sandeep Patel. A third accomplice, Pradeep Ahirwar, still on the run.

The case came to light on August 13 when a farmer noticed a foul smell coming from a well. Upon inspection, two sacks containing the woman’s body parts were found floating in the water. Police drained the well and recovered additional remains, including her hands, while the head and feet were initially missing. The head was later recovered from the Lakheri river. A post-mortem was conducted and the victim was cremated on August 18.

Police investigations revealed that the murder was premeditated and triggered by Rachna’s persistent demands for marriage, which frustrated Sanjay Patel, who was already married with two children. SSP BBGTS Murthy said, “Two sacks containing parts of a woman’s body were recovered from a well in Kishorpura village under Todifatehpur police station. Eight teams were formed to investigate the case. Today, the woman’s head was recovered from the Lakheri river.”

Lover, Nephew, and Accomplice Strangle Woman

On August 8, Sanjay, his nephew Sandeep, and friend Pradeep strangled Rachna and dismembered her body into seven pieces. They stuffed the parts into sacks and dumped them in the well, while the head and feet were discarded in the river to prevent identification.

Rachna’s background was complex: she had been married twice and had two children from her first marriage. After leaving her second husband, she lived with Shivraj Yadav of Maheba. In 2023, she had filed an FIR against Shivraj and his elder brother, accusing them of dowry harassment, rape, and attempted murder. Following Shivraj’s death in June, Rachna began pressuring Sanjay for marriage.

The breakthrough came when villagers suspected the body was Rachna’s and informed her brother, Deepak Yadav. Phone records showed repeated communication between Rachna and Sanjay, leading police to raid Sanjay’s home. He confessed to the crime.

Police have arrested Sanjay and Sandeep, while Pradeep remains at large. A reward of Rs 25,000 has been announced for information leading to his arrest. The investigative team, which included SWAT in-charge Jitendra Takkhar and officers Rajat Singh, Shailendra, Harshit, Durgesh Kumar, Rajneesh, and Atul Rajput, received Rs 90,000 in cash awards from DIG Keshav Chaudhary, SP Dr. Arvind Kumar, and SSP Murthy for solving the case within seven days.

“We have recovered all body parts and have arrested two persons while looking for a third accused. The police team has been awarded a cash prize of Rs 50,000 by DIG Jhansi Range Keshav Chaudhary,” SSP Murthy told India Today TV.

The brutal murder has left the community shaken and highlights the dangers women face in difficult relationships, particularly in rural India.