'Godman' kills woman after failed rape attempt post-rituals, later murders her male friend

The woman's face was covered with cloth and a heavy stone was placed on her body.

Mumbai: A self-styled godman allegedly strangled a woman, a private firm staffer, to death after she resisted his sexual assault attempt and later killed her male friend following rituals at his ashram on 'Shani Amavasya' in Maharashtra's Dhule district, police officials said on Monday.

The accused, Yogesh alias Bhaiyya Bapu Khairnar (33), who has been arrested, later dumped their bodies at different spots, they said.

Khairnar, a resident of Jaitane village in the north Maharashtra district, around 340km from Mumbai, runs an ashram. The crime came to light when the body of the 25-year-old woman was recovered off Raipur-Bhadgaon Road in the Nizampur area, a police official said.

The victim's face was covered with cloth and a heavy stone was placed on her body, he said, adding police recovered a mobile phone from the spot.

During investigation it came to light that the victim, a resident of another village, was an employee of a private finance company.

She and her male friend visited Khairnar's ashram on May 16 (Saturday) to perform certain rituals on the occasion of Shani Amavasya as she was facing family disputes and job-related issues, according to the official.

After completing the rituals, the 'Godman' offered to drop the woman home on a motorcycle, while her friend stayed back. During the journey, the accused stopped the motorcycle near a forested area and attempted to sexually assault her. When the woman resisted and tried to shout for help, Khairnar allegedly strangled her to death using a piece of cloth, he stated.

Khairnar then returned to the ashram and killed the woman's friend with an iron rod. He put the body in a bullock cart and dumped it at a secluded area between two hills, according to the official.

A police team recovered a saffron handkerchief from near the spot where the man's body was dumped. This recovery led police to the fake godman's ashram and he was subsequently arrested, he said.

During sustained interrogation, the accused admitted to his involvement in the twin murder, the official maintained.

A case under BNS sections 103 (murder) and 238 (disappearance of evidence), among others, has been registered against Khairnar and further probe was underway.