Mumbai: A 26-year-old engineer from Thane was allegedly murdered by his married lover along with her husband, brother and another accomplice before his body was stuffed into a drum and dumped in a drain in Vasai, police said.
The deceased has been identified as Arbaz Maqsood Ali Khan, a resident of Mumbra who worked with a real estate developer in Dombivli. According to investigators, Khan had been in a relationship with 25-year-old Mehajabeen Sheikh since 2021. Police alleged that the woman had been regularly taking money from Khan during the relationship.
Body Stuffed in Drum, Dumped in Drain
Police said Khan went missing on April 3 after leaving home for work in Dadar. When he did not return, his family filed a missing person complaint at Mumbra Police Station. During the investigation, police tracked his last mobile location to the Vasai area. Investigators also found that Mehajabeen’s phone location matched the same area around the time of the disappearance.
According to police, Khan was allegedly beaten to death by the accused. His body was later stuffed into a blue or green plastic drum and dumped in a secluded drain in Vasai in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Arrests Made, Search On for Other Accused
Police have arrested Mehajabeen Sheikh and her brother Tariq Sheikh in connection with the murder. Authorities said the woman’s husband and another accomplice are currently absconding, and efforts are underway to trace them.
Investigators are also probing whether financial disputes and alleged extortion attempts played a role in the murder. The case has drawn comparisons online with previous “drum murder” cases because of the method used to dispose of the body.