Out to buy milk, woman drugged, strangled by family friends over money dispute
Shantiben had left her home on the night of March 23 to buy milk. When she did not return, her family first searched the surrounding regions and then her son filed a missing person's report. Later, CCTV footage showed her entering the accused's shop and never coming out of it.
A businessman's wife in Gujarat was drugged, strangled and her body was burnt by a husband and a wife, and their two accomplices over a monetary dispute. Shantiben, wife of Vasant Akediwala, had asked accused Rekha Rathod to return 79 tola of gold (nearly 1 kg) and Rs 2 lakh cash that the latter had borrowed from the couple for her furniture business and animal husbandry activities. Unable to return the money and the gold, Rekha and her husband had hatched a plan to murder Shantiben.
The incident happened on March 23 when Shantiben left home at night to buy milk. When she did not return home, her family grew worried and began searching nearby areas but could not find any trace of her. Eventually, her son filed a missing person's complaint with the police, after which an investigation was launched.
During the probe, police examined CCTV footage and location data, which showed Shantiben entering a furniture shop in the Hanuman Tekri area owned by Rekha Rathod. However, the footage showed that she never came out of the shop. This raised suspicion, and police brought Rekha Rathod in for questioning.
During interrogation, police uncovered the motive behind the murder. Rekha Rathod had close relations with the victim's family and was treated like a sister-in-law by Shantiben's husband (Vasant Akediwala). Over time, Rekha had borrowed 79 tolas of gold and Rs 2 lakh in cash from the family to support her furniture business and cattle-rearing activities.
However, when Shantiben began asking for the money and gold to be returned, Rekha conspired with her husband and two other associates to kill her in order to avoid repayment.
According to police, on March 23, Rekha called Shantiben to her shop under the pretext of returning the money. She mixed sedatives with prasad and gave it to Shantiben. After the victim became unconscious, Rekha and her husband strangled her with a wire. Then, the couple asked two other accomplices to help dispose of the body. However, they failed to reach a sufficiently secluded location and, in haste, burned the body in the basement of a tractor showroom in a deserted area.
Police have arrested Rekha Rathod and her husband, while the two other accused are still on the run. They said efforts are underway to track them down, and an investigation into the case is ongoing.
A businessman's wife in Gujarat was drugged, strangled and her body was burnt by a husband and a wife, and their two accomplices over a monetary dispute. Shantiben, wife of Vasant Akediwala, had asked accused Rekha Rathod to return 79 tola of gold (nearly 1 kg) and Rs 2 lakh cash that the latter had borrowed from the couple for her furniture business and animal husbandry activities. Unable to return the money and the gold, Rekha and her husband had hatched a plan to murder Shantiben.
The incident happened on March 23 when Shantiben left home at night to buy milk. When she did not return home, her family grew worried and began searching nearby areas but could not find any trace of her. Eventually, her son filed a missing person's complaint with the police, after which an investigation was launched.
During the probe, police examined CCTV footage and location data, which showed Shantiben entering a furniture shop in the Hanuman Tekri area owned by Rekha Rathod. However, the footage showed that she never came out of the shop. This raised suspicion, and police brought Rekha Rathod in for questioning.
During interrogation, police uncovered the motive behind the murder. Rekha Rathod had close relations with the victim's family and was treated like a sister-in-law by Shantiben's husband (Vasant Akediwala). Over time, Rekha had borrowed 79 tolas of gold and Rs 2 lakh in cash from the family to support her furniture business and cattle-rearing activities.
However, when Shantiben began asking for the money and gold to be returned, Rekha conspired with her husband and two other associates to kill her in order to avoid repayment.
According to police, on March 23, Rekha called Shantiben to her shop under the pretext of returning the money. She mixed sedatives with prasad and gave it to Shantiben. After the victim became unconscious, Rekha and her husband strangled her with a wire. Then, the couple asked two other accomplices to help dispose of the body. However, they failed to reach a sufficiently secluded location and, in haste, burned the body in the basement of a tractor showroom in a deserted area.
Police have arrested Rekha Rathod and her husband, while the two other accused are still on the run. They said efforts are underway to track them down, and an investigation into the case is ongoing.
