An elderly woman was allegedly strangled to death by her neighbour in Bhilwara district, Rajasthan, for her gold jewellery weighing approximately 15 tolas. The accused then reportedly burned her body on a rooftop and disposed of her remains in the Kothari River, in a calculated attempt to destroy evidence. Two men have since been arrested in connection with the case.

What Happened on 12 October

The incident took place on 12 October in the Veer Savarkar Nagar area under Bhimganj police station limits. According to police, the victim — Kamala Devi Kankariya, an elderly woman who lived alone — was allegedly lured away from her home that evening by her neighbour, Ravi Tapadia, 43. With the alleged assistance of an accomplice, Heera Sindhi, Tapadia reportedly strangled her to death, seized her gold jewellery, and carried her body to the rooftop of his house. The accused allegedly doused the body in petrol, set it alight, and later dumped the remaining bones and ashes into the Kothari River near the Paldi bridge, roughly two kilometres from the scene.

How the Crime Came to Light

A domestic worker employed by Kamala Devi alerted her daughter-in-law, Ravina Kankariya, on 15 October that the house had remained locked and unoccupied since 12 October. Ravina subsequently filed a missing person's report with Bhimganj police station. Investigators found that CCTV footage reportedly showed Kamala Devi and Tapadia leaving together on the evening of 12 October. When questioned, Tapadia initially claimed he had dropped her at a market, but police determined she had not left Bhilwara. Under further questioning, he allegedly confessed to the murder.

Victim's Background

Kamala Devi had been living alone following the deaths of her husband, Tej Singh Kankariya, four years ago, and her son, Saurabh Kankariya, who died in a road accident two years ago. Ravina, who lives in Bhilwara's Azad Nagar area with her two children, told police she had last spoken to her mother-in-law on 6 October. She said Kamala Devi had asked her to bring the children along on her next visit and had also been discussing repairs needed around the house.

Remains Recovered, Accused Produced in Court

Bhimganj Station House Officer Sunil Chaudhary confirmed that on Tuesday, acting on information provided by the accused, police deployed a JCB machine to search the Kothari River near the Paldi bridge and recovered the victim's remains, which were collected in a container as part of the investigation. Both Ravi Tapadia and Heera Sindhi were taken into custody and produced before a court. Police are continuing to investigate the circumstances of the murder and the alleged destruction of evidence.

This case underscores the vulnerability of elderly individuals living alone, and authorities are expected to press charges that include murder and destruction of evidence.