Bengaluru workers thought it was an old bed. Then they saw a leg sticking out

What began as a routine cleaning job at a long-neglected vacant plot in Bengaluru turned into a murder investigation after workers stumbled upon the decomposed body of a woman wrapped in a bedsheet. Police have arrested her husband in connection with the alleged murder.

The body was found when workers hired to clear overgrown vegetation from the vacant site noticed what appeared to be a bed lying inside the plot. When they went to move it, they saw a leg sticking out and alerted local residents, who informed the police.

The site owner had arranged for the plot to be cleaned after the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) issued a notice for vacant sites to be cleared. Residents said the plot had been purchased nearly 15 years ago but had apparently not been visited or cleaned by its owners for a long time.

The police reached the spot along with forensic personnel and confirmed that the body was that of a woman.

WOMAN'S BODY FOUND WRAPPED IN BEDSHEET

The deceased was identified as Anusuya, 28, originally from Odisha. Police later arrested her husband, Sagar Chandra Rawat, 32, in connection with the case.

According to the police investigation, Anusuya and Sagar had come to Bengaluru for work and had married around two years ago after falling in love. The marriage had reportedly taken place without Anusuya informing her family, who came to know about it only after her death.

The couple worked at different hotels, with Sagar reportedly employed as a kitchen supervisor.

The body was discovered around 20 days after the alleged murder and was reportedly badly decomposed. Stray dogs had also dragged parts of the body, making identification difficult.

Police initially could not establish the woman's identity and reportedly arranged for her last rites.

FINANCIAL DISPUTE LED TO ALLEGED MURDER

Police suspect that the couple frequently quarrelled over financial issues.

According to the investigation, Anusuya went to the hotel where Sagar worked on August 11 and confronted him over his salary. The couple returned home after the argument, but the dispute continued.

Police allege that Sagar subsequently strangled Anusuya to death.

Investigators suspect that he kept his wife's body at their home for three days before wrapping it in a bedsheet, tying it with a rope and dumping it at the vacant site.

Police also suspect that Sagar later returned to the area for several days to check whether anyone had discovered the body.

CLOTHING TAG HELPED POLICE IDENTIFY VICTIM

A clothing tag found on the body eventually helped investigators identify Anusuya.

Police reportedly traced the tag to a garment purchased from a mall and checked the purchase details, which provided information connected to Anusuya.

Investigators then questioned people at the hotel where Sagar worked and reportedly learnt about the dispute between the couple.

After taking Sagar into custody and questioning him, police uncovered details of the murder.

The police arrested Sagar within a week of the body being discovered. The investigation is continuing.

A resident, Ganesh, who lives in M.S. Nagar, Thirumenahalli, said around five or six workers had come to clean the site. They had cleared about half of the heavily overgrown plot when they noticed the bed.

He said the workers initially thought it was something that needed to be removed as garbage. It was only when they tried to move it that they saw a leg sticking out and realised there was a body inside.

The residents then informed the police, who reached the spot and began the investigation.