A chilling murder case echoing the plot of the popular Bollywood thriller Drishyam has been uncovered in Odisha's Koraput district, where mobile location data and call detail records helped law enforcement track down a buried body across state borders in Andhra Pradesh. The victim, 22-year-old Albina Garada, was strangled to death following a domestic dispute, after which her body was transported at night and concealed underground in a teak plantation. Police have arrested the primary accused, Mohan Khil, along with his associate Milan Kuldeep for their involvement in the crime and cover-up.
Live-In Relationship and the Exposure of Secret Marriages
Albina Garada was employed at a local beauty parlour in the Semiliguda Gurudwara region of Koraput district. During her work routine, she came into contact with 35-year-old Mohan Khil, a resident of Kakigaon under the Sunabeda police station limits. The acquaintance eventually developed into a close relationship, leading the two to rent an accommodation and cohabit in a live-in arrangement for approximately two years. However, their shared life took a turn when Albina uncovered a major personal secret that Mohan had concealed from her. She discovered that Mohan was already married and currently had two wives.
The revelation of his two existing marriages led to frequent and intense arguments between the couple. Reports associated with the investigation indicate that Albina was pregnant and was persistently pressing Mohan to formally marry her. Mohan, on his part, consistently deferred the matter and avoided committing to a formal wedding, escalating interpersonal tension within the household over several months.
Fatal Escalation, Strangulation, and Interstate Cover-Up
On the night of the incident, another heated altercation broke out over the topic of marriage. The verbal argument quickly turned violent, during which an enraged Mohan Khil strangled Albina to death inside their residence. Realizing the severity of the act, Mohan immediately devised a plan to eliminate physical evidence and prevent the crime from coming to light.
To execute the concealment, Mohan enlisted the help of an acquaintance, Milan Kuldeep. Together, they loaded Albina's body into a Wagon-R car and drove out of Odisha under the cover of night into neighbouring Andhra Pradesh. Upon reaching a teak plantation near Marupalli village in Vizianagaram district, they dug a trench and buried the body. The perpetrators operated on the assumption that hiding the remains in another state would prevent discovery and leave the victim's disappearance unsolved.
Digital Footprints Lead Police to the Burial Site
When Albina failed to communicate with her family for several days, her relatives approached the Semiliguda police station and registered an official missing person report. Initiating a investigation, law enforcement officers detained Mohan Khil and Milan Kuldeep based on suspicion and subjected them to detailed questioning. Sunabeda Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) Sumitra Jena stated that analysis of Call Detail Records (CDR) and cell tower location tracking established that the accused and the victim were present at the exact same location during the window of the crime.
Guided by technical intelligence, a police team proceeded to Andhra Pradesh. On Thursday, under the administrative supervision of an Executive Magistrate and in the presence of Andhra Pradesh Police officers, an excavation was carried out at the specified teak plantation near Marupalli village. Albina's body was recovered from the subterranean site. Family members identified the remains based on her clothing and personal belongings. Following post-mortem procedures, samples were secured for forensic DNA testing.
Evidence Seizure and Legal Proceedings
During the investigative process, law enforcement officers seized several material items connected to the offense. These include the Wagon-R vehicle utilized to transport the body across state boundaries, digging implements used during burial, the mobile phones of both accused individuals, and their clothing items worn during the crime.
Formal charges of murder have been lodged against Mohan Khil, while Milan Kuldeep faces charges related to destruction of evidence and criminal assistance. Both accused individuals have been produced before the competent court and remanded to police custody for further interrogation.
