Akola: A 26-year-old woman tattoo artist from Assam was found dead with multiple head injuries in Murtizapur town of Akola district in Maharashtra.
The police suspect her boyfriend, whom she had met on social media, to be responsible for the crime.
The victim, Shantikriya Kashyap from Assam, also known as Koel, was found dead on July 24 in a house in the Pratik Nagar locality of Murtizapur.
The house belonged to her boyfriend, Kunal alias Sunny Shringare (30), who is currently on the run, according to an official from the Murtizapur city police station.
“Kashyap was found with multiple head injuries inflicted by a sharp weapon,” the police official said.
“Shringare is the prime suspect in the case, and we are actively searching for him.”
Kashyap had been living in Delhi with her mother for the last six years and had established herself as a tattoo artist.
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Recently, she had been working in Mumbai, the police official added.
The investigation revealed that Kashyap and Shringare became friends through social media.
Shringare invited Kashyap to Murtizapur, promising to help her find a job.
She arrived on July 21 and stayed with him at his house.
Shringare, who worked as a waiter at a local bar, had taken her to the bar to seek employment for her, but the bar owner refused to hire her.
“Shringare had a habit of drinking. On the night of July 23, an argument erupted between him and Kashyap, and in a fit of rage, he struck her on the head with a sharp weapon,” the official said.
The following morning, neighbours reported suspicious activities at Shringare’s house to the police.
A police team arrived and forced open the door, discovering Kashyap’s body inside. Shringare had fled the scene by then.
A case has been registered against Shringare under section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and efforts are underway to apprehend him.