A classmate arrested for the murder of a 24-year-old MBA student in Indore allegedly mistreated her body after killing her and later performed occult rituals while on the run, police said on Monday.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police Shrikrishna Lalchandani, residents in the Dwarkapuri police station area of Indore reported a foul smell emanating from a locked house on February 13. Acting on the complaint, police broke open the premises and recovered the naked body of the woman.
The victim was pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree at a city college. Her body was found in a rented house belonging to her classmate, the officer said.
Police stated that the accused fled the city after the incident and was later apprehended in Mumbai. He is currently being interrogated.
During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to strangling the woman to death. The DCP said he also “mistreated” her body after the murder. Investigators further revealed that while absconding, the accused travelled to the Panvel area in Navi Mumbai, where he purportedly engaged in occult practices.
“The accused claims he was mentally disturbed after the murder and attempted to communicate with the woman’s spirit through witchcraft,” Lalchandani said.
Police believe the victim and the accused were in a close relationship. According to investigators, the accused suspected that she was speaking to other men. In a fit of rage, he allegedly killed her before fleeing.
Following the discovery of the body, the woman’s father levelled serious allegations against the accused. He claimed the classmate had been attempting to extort money from his daughter by threatening to circulate her obscene photographs. The father further alleged that the accused tortured her and had even shared objectionable images in her college WhatsApp group as part of the alleged blackmail attempt.
Police have launched a detailed investigation into the sequence of events, including the allegations of extortion and the circulation of explicit content. Authorities are also examining digital evidence and forensic findings to establish the full circumstances surrounding the crime.
The case has sparked outrage in the city, with questions being raised about student safety and cyber exploitation. Further investigation is underway.
