Man Arrested for Murder Six Months After Disappearance

A 28-year-old man was arrested for allegedly murdering his girlfriend after she pressured him to marry her, and later buried her body in a bid to destroy evidence, police said on Monday.

The incident, which took place six months ago, came to light following a detailed investigation by the police which led to the arrest of the accused on Sunday.

The deceased has been identified as Madhushree Angadi (26) from Narayanapura village in Gadag taluk. The accused, Satish Hiremath, also hails from the same village. The duo had been in a relationship for six years.

According to police, Madhushree’s parents disapproved of her relationship with Satish and sent her to live with their relatives in Gadag. On the night of December 16, 2024, she left her relative’s house and disappeared.

A missing person’s complaint was filed at Betageri Police Station on January 12, 2025.

Gadag Superintendent of Police, BS Namegouda said Madhushree had been pressing her boyfriend to marry her, leading to frequent arguments.

During inquiry, it was found that on the night of December 16, Satish took Madhushree to a farmhouse near Narayanapura where he killed the woman following a heated argument by strangling her with a veil.

After the murder, Satish buried her body and feigned ignorance about her whereabouts.

To avoid suspicion, he resumed work at the petrol bunk and periodically returned to the burial site to scatter her remains elsewhere and destroy evidence, he said.

A breakthrough in the case came through technical evidence. A message ping from Madhushree's phone at a location that didn't match Satish’s version, raising suspicion, police said.

Upon interrogation, Satish confessed to the crime and led the police to the burial spot.

"As soon as we received information about the incident during interrogation, our officers registered a murder case and initiated a thorough investigation. The accused has been taken into custody, and we are planning to take him into police custody for further investigation and evidence collection," the senior police officer said.

Earlier, the accused had claimed that he dropped her off on the outskirts of the town on a two-wheeler and didn’t know where she went.

The police suspected that the two might have eloped. But there was no contact from Madhushree, which raised suspicion.

"After verifying all the evidence and leads, we arrested the accused," he added.

While some skeletal remains have been recovered, Madhushree’s skull is yet to be found. Forensic examination and investigation is underway.