“During interrogation, Lakada confessed to the crime and revealed that they were not husband and wife. They came in contact with each other one-and-a-half years ago in their native district in Odisha. They were attracted to each other and arrived in Mumbai to cohabit together,” said a police officer.

Lakada and Toppo had been living together in a rented house in Ashok Nagar, Kama Estate, near Hub Mall on the Western Express Highway. Though they were not married, they had presented themselves as husband and wife to the house owner. The two of them worked as labourers at the Nesco Centre, Goregaon. Toppo suspected that Lakada was having an affair with another woman. There used to be quarrels between the two over this issue. On May 23, a fight took place after which Lakada murdered Toppo with a knife. He wanted to dispose of the body but it was so heavy that he was unable to lift it, so he wrapped it well in a cloth and plastic sack and left it in the house. He kept a cooler near the body to delay its decomposition and then fled.

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“What the victim had suspected turned out to be true as Lakada after murdering her went to Haryana and took shelter in his female friend’s house whom he used to send money for expenditures,” said an officer.

Under the guidance of Smita Patil, deputy commissioner of police, Zone 12 and senior police inspector Rajbhar, police inspector Sachin Pardeshi and police sub-inspector Indrajeet Bhise from the detection team of Vanrai police station were instrumental in cracking the case and caught the accused within 24 hours after the murder was brought to the notice of the police. Lakada was produced before the court which remanded him to police custody, said another officer.