Madhya Pradesh: 35-Year-Old Woman Killed by Live-In Partner, Body Found in Fridge After 10 Months

BHOPAL: A 41-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing his live-in partner in March last year and storing her body in a refrigerator for nearly 10 months.

The incident came to light in Madhya Pradesh’s Dewas district, with the suspect being apprehended 40 km away in Ujjain, police revealed on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, tenants reported a foul smell coming from the room that suspect Sanjay Patidar had retained after vacating the house in June last year.

A tenant, Balveer Rajput, unlocked the room and discovered the body inside a refrigerator. “Following complaints about the foul smell, we inspected the house and found the body,” said Puneet Gehlot, superintendent of police. 

According to him, the woman, identified as Pratibha Patidar, was allegedly murdered in March 2024 by her live-in partner, Sanjay Patidar. Sanjay was arrested in Ujjain just hours after the body was discovered.

The woman's hands were found tied inside the refrigerator. Investigations revealed that Pratibha Patidar had been living with Sanjay Patidar in the house before Balveer Rajput moved in during July 2024. Locals reported that Pratibha had not been seen since March 2024, while Sanjay vacated the house in June 2024.

Police stated that Sanjay admitted to being in a live-in relationship with Pratibha for five years. In 2023, he moved to Dewas with her and introduced her to the neighbors as his wife, according to an officer.

As per the report, the relationship began to worsen in January 2024 when Pratibha asked Sanjay to formalize their bond, but he refused, resulting in arguments.

In March, Sanjay, with the help of his friend Vinod Dave, allegedly strangled Pratibha, tied her hands, and concealed her body in the refrigerator. Sanjay then gave the house back to the landlord but retained one room, saying he needed it to store his belongings temporarily.

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