For 11 Months, A Navi Mumbai Man Was Missing. Then His Brother Started Asking Questions

Published 14 July 2026 · local

For 11 Months, A Navi Mumbai Man Was Missing. Then His Brother Started Asking Questions Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 14:56 IST Police

For 11 Months, A Navi Mumbai Man Was Missing. Then His Brother Started Asking Questions Published By, Last Updated: July 14, 2026, 14:56 IST Police said the victim, 50-year-old Baliram Suryanath Kushwaha, was allegedly murdered in August 2025, but the crime remained undetected for almost 11 months. Police said that on the night of August 9, 2025, Baliram was allegedly strangled while asleep.(Representative image) A murder that remained hidden for nearly a year came to light in Navi Mumbai, with police arresting a woman and her alleged lover for allegedly killing her husband, dismembering his body and dumping the remains in a forest. The accused, identified as Sunita Kushwaha, 40, and Rahul Dashrath Prajapati, 30, were arrested on Sunday after investigators reopened the case following suspicions raised by the victim’s brother. Police said the victim, 50-year-old Baliram Suryanath Kushwaha, was allegedly murdered in August 2025, but the crime remained undetected for almost 11 months.

Missing Person Complaint Reopened Case Baliram lived with his wife and two children in Airoli, Navi Mumbai. According to investigators, the breakthrough came in April this year when Baliram’s brother visited Sunita and grew suspicious of her explanations regarding his disappearance. He subsequently approached police and filed a missing person’s complaint. The complaint prompted investigators to take a closer look at the circumstances surrounding Baliram’s disappearance and question those connected to him. Affair Allegedly Led To Murder Plot During the investigation, police allegedly discovered that Sunita was involved in an extra-marital relationship with Prajapati, an autorickshaw driver. Investigators believe Baliram had become aware of the relationship and opposed it, leading the pair to allegedly conspire to eliminate him. According to police, the accused waited for an opportunity to carry out their plan and allegedly sent the couple’s children to stay with a relative before committing the crime.

Killed While Asleep Police said that on the night of August 9, 2025, Baliram was allegedly strangled while asleep. Investigators further alleged that his throat was subsequently slit. In an attempt to conceal the crime, the accused allegedly dismembered the body into three parts, packed the remains into sacks and transported them using Prajapati’s autorickshaw. The body parts were allegedly dumped at different locations in the dense Gawli Dev hill forest area of Navi Mumbai. Following the alleged murder, Sunita reportedly rented out the family’s home in Airoli and moved with her children to Ghansoli. Police said both accused frequently changed their mobile phones and SIM cards in an effort to evade detection. However, investigators analysed call detail records and found that the pair remained in regular contact in the months following Baliram’s disappearance. During sustained interrogation, both accused allegedly confessed to the crime and revealed details about how the body was disposed of, police said.