Nagpur police have arrested Ajay Anand Wankhede, a 32-year-old army pharmacist, for the murder of his girlfriend, Jyotsna (32), whose body was discovered buried in a remote area near Butibori. The gruesome crime, which took place over two months ago in Besa, under Beltarodi police jurisdiction, only came to light after a detailed investigation.

Ajay, who lived in New Kailash Nagar and worked at an army hospital in Nagaland, was in a relationship with Jyotsna. However, their relationship had reportedly been strained for some time. On August 28, Ajay allegedly lured Jyotsna to Neelkamal Society in Besa under the pretense of meeting her, where he is believed to have killed her. He then transported her body to Butibori, buried it in a deserted spot, and covered the area with plaster in an attempt to conceal the crime. He disposed of Jyotsna’s mobile phone by leaving it in the trunk of a truck.

Jyotsna’s family, worried after losing contact with her, filed a missing person report with the police, naming Ajay as a suspect. Ajay fled when police called him in for questioning. The case took a turn when a truck driver found Jyotsna’s phone, inserted his own SIM card, and began using it. Police tracked the phone’s location through call data records (CDR), which pointed to Ajay’s involvement, leading them to Hinganghat, Hyderabad, and Balaghat.

In an attempt to escape arrest, Ajay admitted himself to an army hospital in Pune, but when police arrived, hospital staff refused to release him without a warrant. He managed to take leave and escape once more. After being denied anticipatory bail by both the Sessions Court and the High Court, Ajay eventually surrendered to the Beltarodi police.

Initially, Ajay denied any involvement in Jyotsna’s disappearance, but after intense questioning, he confessed to the murder and revealed where he had buried her body. On Monday, police, along with forensic experts from Nagpur AIIMS, recovered Jyotsna’s body from the burial site near Butibori.

Ajay is now in police custody, and investigations are ongoing as authorities continue to piece together the details of this disturbing case.