A disturbing crime in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district has ended with the arrest of a private hospital ward boy who strangulated his 21-year-old partner following a disagreement over marriage. The suspect attempted to mislead investigators by constructing an elaborate cover story claiming the victim had taken her own life using a scarf, but medical evidence and sustained interrogation exposed the reality behind the death.
Discovery of the Body in the Forest
The sequence of events unfolded on 29 October in the jurisdiction of the Rampayali police station. The victim, identified as 21-year-old Sakshi Dohre, resided in Lingmara and worked as a nurse at a private hospital in Balaghat. Her colleague, Aakash Baghmare, a resident of Goreghat, served as a ward boy in the same healthcare facility. The two had been in a relationship for two years. On that evening, both departed the hospital premises after completing their shifts but failed to return to their respective homes. Around 9 pm, the families learned that Sakshi was found motionless along a secluded forest route linking Bodalkasa and Bansi, with Aakash sitting directly beside her body.
The Staged Suicide and CPR Fabrications
When Rampayali police arrived at the forest location to initiate procedures, Aakash Baghmare offered a detailed account designed to deflect suspicion. He told officials that while traveling on his motorcycle, he stopped along the pathway, left Sakshi near the two-wheeler, and briefly walked away to urinate. According to his initial statement, upon returning he discovered that she had hanged herself using her dupatta. He claimed he immediately brought her down from the ligature and attempted to revive her by administering CPR, but could not save her life. Based on these immediate statements, the occurrence was initially handled as a potential suicide.
Autopsy Findings and Police Confession
Investigating officers secured the body and sent it for forensic examination. Sub-Divisional Officer of Police (SDOP) Prashant Sharma stated that the post-mortem report revealed indications of a cognizable criminal offence, pointing clearly to homicide rather than hanging. The medical findings indicated that the victim suffered fatal strangulation. Confronted with these clinical realities during questioning, Aakash broke down and conceded that his suicide explanation had been completely fabricated.
Refusal of Proposal Led to Fatal Assault
During custodial interrogation, the accused detailed the circumstances leading up to the murder. Aakash revealed that he had been exerting pressure on Sakshi to marry him. When they reached the isolated stretch between Bodalkasa and Bansi, he repeated his marriage demand. Sakshi's explicit refusal triggered a sudden fit of rage. Aakash attacked her, pressing her neck until she ceased breathing. To evade legal accountability, he staged the surroundings to mimic a self-inflicted hanging and sat by the corpse until authorities and relatives arrived. Following the confession and forensic verification, police placed Aakash under formal arrest and produced him before the court.
