Woman Buried 34 Years Ago in Gujarat Drainage Pit; Police Arrest Two Brothers, Book Two Dead Suspects

Ahmedabad City Police has arrested two brothers and registered a murder case against four individuals, including two deceased persons, in connection with the alleged killing of a woman whose remains were discovered buried beneath a house more than three decades after her disappearance. The case relates to the death of Farzana Doshu Radhanpuri, also known as Shabnam, whose skeletal remains were recovered on April 29 from a drainage catchpit located beneath a property in the Qutubnagar area of Vatva in Ahmedabad.

According to investigators from the Detection of Crime Branch, Farzana was allegedly strangled to death in 1992 before her body was secretly buried in a 14-foot-deep drainage pit under the house. Police officials said the discovery followed an investigation that eventually traced the property ownership history linked to the accused individuals. The remains were recovered during an excavation operation conducted at the residence after investigators gathered fresh evidence connected to the decades-old disappearance.

Police have identified the surviving accused as brothers Shamshuddin Moosaji Khedawala and Iqbal Moosaji Khedawala. The other two individuals named in the case are deceased — Abdulkarim Yakubji Jawrawala Chhipa, described as a close associate of the brothers, and Salyabibi Samatkhan Pathan, the former owner of the property beneath which the remains were found. Authorities have registered charges against all four individuals as part of the investigation into the alleged murder and concealment of evidence.

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Officials said the case remained unresolved for years due to the absence of the victim’s body and limited evidence available at the time. However, new leads and witness accounts reportedly helped investigators reopen the matter and establish links between the missing woman and the Qutubnagar property. Police teams subsequently conducted technical analysis, property verification, and excavation work that eventually resulted in the recovery of the remains believed to belong to Farzana.

The discovery has shocked local residents because of the length of time the body allegedly remained concealed beneath the house without detection. Investigators are now attempting to reconstruct the exact sequence of events surrounding the alleged murder, including the motive behind the killing and the role played by each accused person. Forensic examinations and DNA analysis are also expected to assist authorities in strengthening the case and formally confirming the identity of the remains.

The Ahmedabad Police said further investigation is underway and additional witnesses may be questioned in connection with the case. Authorities are also reviewing historical records and statements connected to the 1992 disappearance to establish a clearer timeline. The case has drawn significant public attention because of its extraordinary delay in discovery and the unusual circumstances under which the victim’s remains were allegedly hidden for more than 34 years beneath a residential property in the city.

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