Man Who Reported a 2022 Murder Is Accused of Helping Hide Three Family Deaths

A murder investigation in Gujarat, India, has uncovered three deaths dating back to 2022 after a man who initially reported one of the cases was himself questioned by police.

According to police and Indian media reports, Madhavdas Sadhu approached authorities with information about the alleged murder of his grandmother-in-law, Shantaben Vasava, whose remains were eventually discovered inside a cement-filled drum buried at a house in Kosamba, Surat district.

Investigators initially followed information that pointed toward Sadhu’s estranged wife, Urmila, and her cousin. However, police said the cousin denied involvement and investigators found inconsistencies in Sadhu’s account.

Investigation Takes an Unexpected Turn

During questioning, police said Sadhu eventually confessed that he and Urmila had been involved in Shantaben’s death in October 2022.

Investigators allege that Shantaben’s body was placed inside a drum and covered with cement before the container was later buried beneath the house. Police subsequently recovered remains from the location and sent them for forensic examination.

Police said the investigation then led to two additional suspected killings involving members of the same family.

Two More Deaths Under Investigation

Authorities allege that Sadhu and Urmila were also responsible for the deaths of two other women in 2022: Sadhu’s mother, Manjulaben Sadhu, and Urmila’s sister, Bhagwati Vasava.

According to investigators, both women had serious health problems before their deaths. Police allege that the couple concealed the circumstances of their deaths by telling relatives that the women had died from their existing illnesses.

Police said the suspected motive in Shantaben’s case may have involved her property, although investigators are continuing to establish the circumstances and motives surrounding all three deaths.

Investigation Continues

The case was uncovered four years after the alleged killings. Authorities are continuing to investigate the evidence and the involvement of the two accused.

Police allegations have not been established in court, and further legal proceedings are expected as investigators build the case.

Sources

• Indian Express — “Surat couple killed 3, then separated. How man’s plan to frame wife backfired” — October 1, 2026.
• The Times of India — “Gujarat man who reported grandmother-in-law’s murder confesses to killing her, 2 others in 2022” — October 1, 2026.
• India Today — “Couple killed 3 women in 2022, hid one body in blue drum. Cops found it 4 years later” — October 1, 2026.