A shocking crime has rocked Bhopal’s Nishatpura region after the decomposed body of a 33‑year‑old woman was discovered inside a septic tank on Thursday evening. The victim, Ashrafi alias Siya, originally from Gondia district in Maharashtra. What started as a romance on Instagram ended with a storyline rife with betrayal, blackmail and murder, culminating in a grisly discovery.
Sameer and Siya had met on Instagram about a year ago. Their conversation in private quickly turned into an affair. Believing that she had found love, Siya moved three months ago from Maharashtra to Bhopal to live with Sameer. But Sameer was already married and had two children. Siya began to live in the Kamla Nagar home where disputes broke out daily. Neighbours complained of Siya and Sameer’s wife arguing frequently, thus creating tension in the household.
They also found that Siya had pressured Sameer to marry her. She reportedly demanded Rs 5 lakh if he didn’t and threatened legal action. The situation escalated, and Sameer’s wife eventually departed for her parental home in Jabalpur. Another high‑heat argument broke out on Monday evening. In a fit of anger Sameer allegedly strangled Siya. Sameer sought assistance from his brother, mother and sister to hide the crime. During the night, they sealed Siya’s body in an iron box and dumped it in the septic tank near their home in a vacant plot.
On Thursday, during a time when children played nearby, one boy noticed the foul smell and discovered an iron box floating in the tank. Residents also alerted police, and they found Siya’s decomposed body. Although advanced decomposition left no clear mark on her injury, police identified her by a tattoo of a lamp and the date “26 May 1992” on her hand.
Manoj Patwa, the Inspector, confirmed that the body was three to four days old and initial findings pointed towards strangulation. Sameer remains absconding and his brother, mother and sister have been arrested for assisting to dispose of the body. His wife is also under investigation. Police sources have uncovered how Siya had a complicated past, including three previous marriages in Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
The case illustrates a relationship that started online that turned violent and tragic. Law enforcement is still looking, and forensic and post‑mortem testimony is pending to determine the full story. In the short term, Bhopal still recalls Siya as a victim of a chilling crime of love & disloyalty; tragedy; desperation.
