Love with cousin ends in horrific crime in Seoni:Girl’s uncle poses as girlfriend, burns 3 friends alive with kerosene; Part | 2

In Part 1 of Crime Files, it was reported that on the morning of January 9, 2015, three charred bodies were found inside a burnt car in the Kurai area of Seoni. From the initial investigation, police had concluded that this was not an accident but a premeditated triple murder. The deceased were identified as Rajesh, Deepak, and Nihal. All three had left home together the previous night but never returned. The case took a major turn when police discovered messages from an unknown number on Deepak’s mobile phone. The ‘mystery girl’ angle The number belonged to a so-called “mystery girl” who had been exchanging romantic messages with Deepak and had invited him to meet. As the investigation progressed, key questions emerged: Who was this mystery girl? Who poured kerosene and burned the three alive? And what was the connection between the killers and the mystery girl? Victims’ background and Last movements Deepak’s father revealed that his son had been living in Lucknow for a few months and had returned home just four days before the incident. Rajesh’s mother, Premvati, said that on the night of January 8, Rajesh told her he was going to drop Deepak and Aarti at Khawasa, as the two were planning to travel to Nagpur. Love between cousins sparks family opposition During the investigation, it was revealed that Deepak and Aarti had been in a relationship for nearly two years. Although they were maternal cousins, their closeness grew after meeting at their maternal home and eventually turned into a romantic relationship. Deepak had bought a mobile phone for Aarti using his scholarship money. The couple wanted to get married and had even eloped once. However, Aarti’s family—especially her uncle Chandrabhoj—strongly opposed the relationship. Due to family pressure, Deepak moved to Lucknow, though the two continued to stay in touch over the phone. Threats that turned deadly Rajesh’s father, Mangrulal Bhanware, said that Chandrabhoj had repeatedly threatened the family, warning that he would kill Deepak if he continued talking to his niece. He had issued a similar threat in a marketplace just four days before the incident. Deepak’s mother, Pramila, also told police that in 2014, Chandrabhoj had come to their house and warned Deepak to stay away from Aarti. Uncle posed as ‘mystery girl’ to set trap The biggest breakthrough came from Deepak’s brother, Santosh. He revealed that Chandrabhoj had taken Aarti’s phone and was using it to message Deepak. Posing as the “mystery girl,” he lured Deepak into a trap. Brutal execution: Beaten, then burnt alive Village watchman Hariprasad Dashmer confirmed that the relationship between Deepak and Aarti was widely known, and Chandrabhoj was openly angry about it. After their arrest, Aarti’s uncle Chandrabhoj, along with Deendayal, Shivam, and Vinod, confessed to the crime during police interrogation. They revealed that they had planned the murder in advance. When Deepak arrived at the designated location with his friends Rajesh and Nihal, the accused surrounded them, assaulted them, poured kerosene on them, and set them on fire. Court awards life imprisonment The Seoni District Court delivered a detailed 75-page judgment, finding all the accused guilty. Chandrabhoj (42), Deendayal (40), Shivam (28), and Vinod (35) were sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal triple murder.