Kamla Devi Kankaria, 72, was murdered in the narrow lanes of Veer Savarkar Chowk, Bhilwara, where the assailants burned the body on the roof of a two‑storey house using hawan ghee and firewood to conceal the odor.
According to police, after the murder the bones and remains were packed in a sack and dumped two kilometres away in the Kothari River, where on 27 October a police and diver team apprehended suspects Ravi Tapadia and Heera Sindhi.
Murder timeline
Police outlined the sequence: on 12 October at 7:56 pm CCTV captured Ravi Tapadia taking Kamla on a bike; on 13‑14 October Ratan Devi found the house locked; on 15 October daughter‑in‑law Ravina filed a missing‑person report; on 24‑26 October Ravi was interrogated and Heera Sindhi was arrested; on 27 October both were caught during a search of the Kothari River.
- Principal accused: Ravi Tapadia (habitual offender, recorded in several cases)
- Accomplice: Heera Sindhi, along with two other suspects
- Stolen items: gold jewellery, cash and ornaments worth about ₹25 lakh
Police said hawan ghee and firewood were used together with cement and paint on the roof and corridor to mask the odor, which could have impeded the investigation.
Police action
With Bhimganj police station in‑charge Sunil Chaudhary and police sub‑inspector Sajan Singh present, the team conducted a river search, taking two suspects into custody and continuing the investigation.
Police said the tenant’s role is also under investigation and all suspects will be thoroughly questioned.