A 42-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly murdering a 38-year-old married woman following a dispute over a mobile phone chat and dismembering her body before dumping the remains at different locations across Jaunpur district, police said. The accused, identified as Hemal Khakharia alias Dilip, a resident of Gujarat, was arrested following an encounter on Sunday night.

The victim was identified as Reshma Khan alias Sana. According to police, Khakharia brought her from Babatpur in Varanasi to an accommodation in Teachers’ Colony under the Madiyahu police station area. Station House Officer Deependra Singh said a dispute allegedly broke out between the two over a mobile phone conversation, following which the accused attacked the woman while she was asleep.

During questioning, Khakharia allegedly told investigators that he decided to dismember the body because he feared it would be difficult to dispose of it intact. Police said he purchased black plastic bags from a market and allegedly used a cleaver to dismember the body before placing the remains in separate bags and transporting them to different locations in the district.

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The case came to light on Sunday morning when local residents noticed human remains in bushes near Ranipur Bypass in the Madiyahu police station area and alerted police. A team led by the station house officer launched an investigation to identify the victim and trace the suspect. Police later said other remains had been left near a culvert close to the Ramnagar Block turn.

Acting on a tip-off, police intercepted Khakharia near the Ramnagar Block Gate. According to investigators, he allegedly opened fire while attempting to escape, prompting officers to fire back in self-defence. The accused was injured during the encounter and arrested around midnight. Police claimed he was attempting to dispose of the remaining evidence when he was intercepted.

Police recovered a .32-bore country-made pistol, two live cartridges, two spent cartridge cases, a knife allegedly used in the crime, a mobile phone and a motorcycle from the accused. Investigators also recovered the remaining body parts, according to officials. A further probe is underway to establish the complete sequence of events and verify the circumstances surrounding the killing.

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