A sense of shock and grief has gripped Paldi Kalan village in Rajasthan’s Nagaur district after the brutal murder of 75-year-old Nathi Devi Bawri revealed disturbing details of greed and violence, with investigators eventually identifying a neighbour as the main accused.
On the morning of March 16, Nathi Devi left her home to arrange fodder for her animals. She was wearing gold and silver jewellery reportedly worth around ₹7 lakh. When she did not return by evening, her family and villagers began searching nearby areas, but there was no trace of her through the night.
The next day, villagers discovered a plastic sack in the bushes near Pachranda village. Inside was the mutilated body of an elderly woman, with the head and feet missing and all jewellery removed. Police later confirmed that the body had been dismembered, likely in an attempt to prevent identification, and then packed into sacks before being dumped in a secluded location.
With no eyewitnesses, police launched an extensive investigation under the supervision of Nagaur SP Roshan Meena. Forensic teams, dog squads, and drone units were deployed. A slipper found near the dumping site provided an early lead, which eventually pointed investigators toward a local suspect.
Further examination revealed bloodstains at a house in the village, confirming it as the crime scene. Police also analysed call records and movement data from hundreds of mobile numbers to reconstruct events around the time of the disappearance.
On March 20, police arrested 38-year-old Mukesh Bharti, a neighbour of the victim. Authorities recovered the stolen jewellery and the suspected murder weapon, believed to be an axe or an iron rod. According to investigators, the woman had gone to his house for fodder, where he allegedly killed her and later dismembered the body. The remains were then packed into three sacks and transported in his car before being disposed of at different locations.
Police are continuing to investigate whether others were involved, given the nature of the crime. While robbery appears to be the primary motive, there are also indications of a possible land dispute involving around 30 bigha.
At the victim’s home, the family has struggled to cope with the loss. They initially refused to perform the last rites until all body parts were recovered, staging a protest to demand complete action. After further searches led to the recovery of additional remains, the rituals were eventually carried out. A meeting involving local representatives was also held in Degana as the community sought answers and accountability.
