Woman, boyfriend kill husband in MP; body chopped, burnt and buried in a pit using a JCB

Police said the accused attempted to destroy evidence by setting the body parts on fire but they failed. They buried the remains in a pit dug with a JCB machine

Published on: Apr 14, 2026, 15:21:14 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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A 36-year-old woman and her partner allegedly killed her husband, cut his body into pieces, and buried them in a pit on a farm at Bhanpura in Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur, police said on Tuesday and added the two accused were arrested on Monday.

Dhapu (L) plotted the murder of her husband with her lover Pankaj Chaudhary (R). (HT Photos)

Sub-divisional police officer Vijay Kumar Yadav said the remains of Dhanraj Nath, 39, were recovered from the farm of Pankaj Chaudhary, 40, and sent for post-mortem examination.

Investigators said Nath knew about Chaudhary and his wife Dhapu's relationship, and they fought frequently.

“The accused planned the murder on April 9. On April 10, Chaudhary lured Dhanraj to his farm to settle the matter, where he killed him. On Saturday, Dhapu and Chaudhary cut the body parts into pieces. The accused attempted to destroy evidence by setting the body parts on fire but they failed. They buried the remains in a pit dug with a JCB machine at Chaudhary’s farm,” said Yadav.

Dhapu claimed her husband had disappeared before their son filed a police complaint naming Chaudhary, who confessed to the murder. Police said they recovered weapons, including two swords and a crowbar, believed to have been used in the crime. They were investigating whether others were involved.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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