A deeply disturbing case of domestic violence has emerged from a village near Ambikapur in Chhattisgarh, where a 23-year-old pregnant woman was allegedly tortured and murdered by her husband. In a chilling attempt to cover up the crime, the accused strapped her lifeless body to a motorcycle and drove to a hospital, claiming she had died in an accident. The truth came spilling out when doctors conducted the postmortem examination.
A Marriage Marked by Violence
The victim has been identified as Heerabai, a resident of Sakariya village. She had married Pradeep Agaria after a love affair, and the couple had four young children together. Their eldest child is around four years old, another is three, while the younger twins are just about one and a half years old. Heerabai was pregnant for the fifth time, carrying a baby of roughly three months.
Family members and relatives told the police that Pradeep Agaria had a long history of violent behaviour. He frequently assaulted his wife, and there were past complaints raised within the village about his conduct. Relatives claimed he had previously attacked her with a sharp weapon. Despite the red flags, no decisive intervention came before the fatal assault on May 14.
The Brutal Attack Inside the Home
According to police and family accounts, Pradeep Agaria launched a savage attack on his wife inside their home. He allegedly struck her repeatedly on the head with a heavy wooden stick, causing deep wounds that fractured her skull. The postmortem report later documented at least 18 major injury marks across her body, indicating the ferocity and duration of the assault.
Most horrifying was a discovery made during the autopsy. Forensic experts recovered a nearly 27-centimetre-long iron file from the victim’s private parts. Medical experts suspect the object was forcefully inserted, leading to fatal internal injuries and the death of the unborn child. The injuries around the thighs and abdomen pointed to extreme brutality.
Speaking about the findings, the head of the forensic department, Dr. Santu Bag, said, “During the postmortem, we found several serious external and internal injuries. A 10-inch iron rod-like object was recovered from the victim’s private parts and seized for investigation.”
The Cover-Up That Failed
After killing his wife, the accused did not stop. He tied her body to the back of a motorcycle and transported her to the Medical College Hospital in Ambikapur. There, he told doctors that she had died in a road accident. However, doctors declared her dead on arrival, and the accused promptly fled from the hospital premises.
Station House Officer CP Tiwari confirmed that the accused initially attempted to portray the incident as an accident. But the postmortem and forensic examination revealed unmistakable signs of severe and intentional brutality, completely shattering his fabricated story.
Children Witnessed the Horror
Relatives revealed a heartbreaking detail about the night of the murder. All four young children were present inside the house during the attack. They reportedly cried out for help, but no one from the neighbourhood came to intervene. Later, while the accused was taking the victim’s body to the hospital, the children informed local residents that their mother had been assaulted. This prompted Heerabai’s family to rush to the medical college hospital, where the grim truth began to emerge.
Manhunt Underway for Absconding Accused
Police have confirmed that Pradeep Agaria remains on the run. A dedicated search operation has been launched to trace and arrest him. Law enforcement officials have assured that the accused will face the full weight of the law for this brutal crime. A case has been registered, and investigators are gathering all evidence, including forensic reports and witness statements, to build a strong case. The four orphaned children are currently in the care of relatives as the village struggles to come to terms with the sheer horror of what happened behind closed doors.
