A 35-year-old man, Mansur Shaikh, was taken into custody on Monday in Maharashtra’s Latur district on suspicion of raping and murdering a 70-year-old woman. The crime was discovered after neighbors reported a foul smell coming from Shaikh’s residence in Bheta in Ausa tehsil, prompting police intervention.
According to police, the victim was found to have been sexually assaulted and strangled. The decomposition of the body indicates that the assault and murder occurred two days prior. Shaikh had been living with the corpse during this time.
The woman, who had been residing in Bheta temporarily, was originally from Borgaon, about 10 kilometers away. Shaikh had brought her to his home, where he committed the crime. Shaikh, who was living alone after his wife and mother left him, is reportedly suffering from mental instability.
A case of rape and murder is being filed at Bheta police station, and Shaikh, currently detained, is expected to be formally arrested soon.