For 45 days, a woman in Agra told relatives and police that her husband had mysteriously disappeared. The family searched desperately for answers, unaware that the 44-year-old man's body lay buried beneath the bathroom floor of the very house they kept returning to. The chilling secret came to light only when police dug up newly laid tiles and unearthed the decomposed remains.
Surendra Kumar Sharma had been missing since May 18, while his wife, Ruby, allegedly continued telling relatives and neighbours that he had gone somewhere and would return soon. A missing person's report was eventually registered on May 26, but the mystery surrounding his disappearance only deepened.
As the investigation progressed, police found several inconsistencies in the statements they received. On Friday, officers revisited the house for verification in connection with an earlier case. During the visit, they found Ruby's behaviour suspicious. At the same time, Surendra's brother shared crucial information with investigators, prompting a thorough search of the house.
That search led police to the bathroom, where freshly laid tiles and new plaster immediately caught their attention. Suspecting that something had been concealed beneath the floor, officers ordered the bathroom to be dug up.
Moments later, they uncovered the decomposed body of Surendra buried beneath the tiles, exposing what investigators believe was an elaborate attempt to hide the crime. The gruesome discovery sent shockwaves through the neighbourhood as crowds gathered outside the house.
According to the preliminary investigation, the accused buried the body inside the bathroom soon after the murder. Soil was poured over the body before the floor was plastered and covered with new tiles to erase any trace of the crime. Police are now investigating whether anyone else helped execute the conspiracy.
During questioning, Ruby confessed to the murder. According to police, she revealed that she had arranged for a mason and labourers to carry out renovation work in the bathroom even before the incident. Investigators, however, said the exact motive behind the killing and the complete sequence of events will be established only after examining all evidence collected during the investigation.
Surendra's brother, Anil Sharma, said the deceased consumed alcohol regularly, which often led to disputes between the couple. He said Ruby herself informed the family after Surendra went missing and later lodged the missing person's complaint. Despite searching for weeks, the family found no trace of him until police made the gruesome discovery.
Police have sent the body for postmortem examination, while the forensic team has collected evidence from the house. Officials said they are probing the conspiracy, the possible involvement of other individuals, and every aspect of the case before taking further legal action.
Hariparvat ACP Hemant Patel said over the phone that police had sent the body for postmortem and taken Surendra's wife into custody. He said investigators are questioning her about the murder and are also trying to determine whether anyone else was involved in carrying out the crime.
