Pune, November 10: Pune police have launched a murder investigation following the shocking discovery of 24-year-old Swapnali Umesh Pawar’s body hidden in a storage compartment of her sofa-cum-bed. The victim’s husband, Umesh Pawar, had been searching for her for two days, unaware that her body was concealed in the very furniture he had been sleeping on.

Swapnali, a resident of Hundekar Vasti near Hadapsar, was last contacted by her husband on the morning of November 7, reported TOI. Umesh, a cab driver, had called her from Beed, where he was working. When he returned to Pune and found her missing, he spent two days looking for her across the city. Gwalior Shocker: Frustrated Over Son’s Gambling and Drug Addiction, Man Hires Hitman to Kill Him in MP; Arrested.

On Saturday morning, Umesh discovered her body in the sofa storage unit after noticing some valuables were missing. Phursungi police quickly responded, and a postmortem later confirmed strangulation as the cause of death, with nail marks visible on her neck. Senior inspector Mangal Modhawe stated, “We believe she was strangled to death.” Drishyam-Style Murder in Gujarat: Nadiad Couple Kills Neighbour for Gold, Shows Bus Tickets to Police to Prove They Were Travelling During Incident.

Investigators suspect the involvement of someone known to Swapnali, as there was no sign of forced entry into the apartment. Deputy commissioner of police R Raja revealed that this suspect’s phone has been off since the discovery of the body. Authorities have determined that Umesh was not in Pune at the time of the crime, and preliminary findings indicate the suspect frequently visited the couple’s flat, sometimes even staying overnight.

Assistant commissioner Ashwini Rakh reported that fingerprints and a canine trail have provided further leads, and nearby CCTV footage is being reviewed to trace the suspect. An FIR has been filed for murder and robbery, and police are actively pursuing leads to apprehend the accused.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Nov 10, 2024 04:02 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).