A 68-year-old woman was arrested last week for allegedly killing her 70-year-old lover following a quarrel in Pandharpur tehsil of Solapur district and dumping his partially burnt body in a farm well. The month-old crime was cracked after DNA profiling identified the decomposed body, and police traced the victim’s last contacts to the woman.

The infant suffered mouth injuries and was admitted to the ICU of Sassoon General Hospital in Pune, police said on Tuesday. (Representational/PTI)

The deceased, Ambadas Santram Khandekar, 70, of Shankargaon in Pandharpur tehsil, had allegedly been in a relationship with Mangal Shrimant Honmane, 68, also from Shankargaon, for more than a decade, police said.

According to police, Khandekar went missing after visiting his daughter, Maina Pandhare, on July 27. His family subsequently lodged a missing person report at the Pandharpur taluka police station.

During the search, police learned that Khandekar frequently visited Honmane’s house. Family members and locals also told police that the two had allegedly been in a relationship for more than 10 years.

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On August 2, villagers spotted what appeared to be a body floating in a well in an agricultural field at Shankargaon. The body was partially burnt and decomposed, making identification difficult. Police conducted a spot panchnama and sent samples from the body for DNA profiling.

Police collected DNA samples from Khandekar’s two daughters and sent them for comparison. The forensic report subsequently established that the unidentified body was Khandekar’s.

Following the identification, police examined Khandekar’s recent movements and contacts. Investigators also analysed his call records and found that he had been in frequent contact with Honmane.

Bharat Bhosale, police sub-inspector, said, “The accused and the deceased were in a relationship for more than a decade. They had frequent daily calls. After analysis of call records, we questioned the accused, who later confessed to her involvement in the crime.”

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According to police, Honmane allegedly killed Khandekar with a sharp weapon following a quarrel on July 27. Police said the two frequently argued and that Khandekar was allegedly addicted to alcohol.

After the alleged killing, Honmane poured kerosene over the body and set it on fire in an attempt to destroy evidence, police said. She then allegedly dumped the partially burnt body in the well.

Honmane was arrested and produced before a court, which remanded her in police custody for three days.