19-year-old woman, boyfriend kill roommate for filming their intimate video

Police have arrested both Riya and Vishal. A search is currently underway for the murder weapon and Sanjay’s mobile phone, which is believed to contain the explicit videos. Investigators suspect the hammer was discarded near Lonavala, while the phone may have been dumped elsewhere

Navi Mumbai: A decomposed body discovered in a locked Ulwe apartment has led police to uncover a chilling murder, allegedly committed by a 19-year-old woman and her 21-year-old boyfriend. The Ulwe police were tipped off by their counterparts in Sangamner following a confession from the young couple.

19-year-old woman, boyfriend kill roommate for filming their intimate video

The victim, Sanjay Asaram Pandey, 43, a cab driver originally from Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh, was found dead in his rented flat in Kriyansh Residency, Sector 24, Ulwe, on April 5. His body was concealed beneath a thick mattress, reportedly for three days.

The accused have been identified as Riya Dinesh Sarkalyansingh, 19, a job-seeker from Punjab, and Vishal Sanjay Shinde, 21, a resident of Sangamner. According to police, Riya met Sanjay about a month ago and, having no local contacts, began living at his flat. Sanjay reportedly allowed her to stay while he was out during the day, returning home only for meals.

Tensions arose after Riya invited Vishal to live with her in Sanjay’s flat. The three cohabited briefly before the situation took a grim turn. Sanjay allegedly recorded intimate videos of the couple and later began blackmailing Riya, demanding sexual favours under the threat of leaking the footage online.

On April 2, following a heated altercation, the couple allegedly attacked Sanjay with a hammer, fatally striking him on the head. They then hid his body under the mattress, locked the flat, and fled the city in Sanjay’s car.

Their escape was cut short near Pune when the car met with an accident. Though the couple was unharmed, the vehicle’s registered owner—Sanjay—was unreachable, prompting concern. His brother, unable to contact him, travelled to Ulwe and filed a missing person’s report.

Meanwhile, the accused reached Vishal’s family home in Sangamner, where they confessed to the murder. Acting on advice from family members, the couple surrendered to the Sangamner police on April 5. Their confession led police to alert Ulwe authorities, who subsequently broke into Sanjay’s flat and discovered his decomposed body. Identification was later confirmed by the victim’s brother.

Police have arrested both Riya and Vishal. A search is currently underway for the murder weapon and Sanjay’s mobile phone, which is believed to contain the explicit videos. Investigators suspect the hammer was discarded near Lonavala, while the phone may have been dumped elsewhere.

“The recovery of both items is crucial to strengthening the case,” an investigating officer said.