Meerut, March 3, 2026 — A gruesome murder discovered in Mawana area of Meerut took a shocking turn when a piece of jewellery helped police identify the victim. Initially believed to be Archita Arora, the woman was not Archita at all she was a foreign national from Turkmenistan named Muhabbat, revealed her family after spotting her earrings.
Discovery of the Body and Initial Investigation
On February 21, a lifeless body of a woman was found near Bhagwati Farmhouse in the Mawana police station area. The victim’s face and hands were badly burned with acid to conceal her identity. Local police launched a detailed probe and scanned over 500 CCTV footages to trace movements around the crime site.
Suspects Arrested and Confession
Police arrested Chanchal Kumar alias Bunti, a hotel owner from Prabhat Nagar, along with three other accomplices Gurmukh (of Binauli), Sandeep (Sittu), and Vivek (Kaka) — based on evidence collected from CCTV and other leads. Upon questioning, the main accused admitted to killing the woman. They said the victim later identified as Archita threatened to file a false case against them, triggering the assault.
Action Inside the Hotel Triggered Murder
According to the accused’s confession, the group was drinking together at a local hotel with the victim when a money dispute arose. In anger, they allegedly attacked her, wrapped her mouth with a blanket and suffocated her to death. They then tried to destroy evidence by burning her face with acid and dumping her body on the roadside.
Earring Reveals Her True Identity
The victim’s family initially thought she was Archita Arora based on an Aadhaar card found on her. However, the woman was actually from Turkmenistan and named Muhabbat, as confirmed by her mother Nahmadineva Gulnara after she recognized her daughter’s earrings and clothing in crime scene images. An acquaintance, Aziza from Uzbekistan, also helped in the identification over a video call.
Police Continue Probe
Officials recovered the acid container used to burn the victim’s face, the blanket, and the innocence-erasing attempts as part of the investigation. The four arrested suspects were presented before court and sent to judicial custody. Further investigation is ongoing to uncover the motive in detail and whether others were involved.