Man arrested for killing neighbour, confesses to another murder committed four months earlier

 

By Sumesh Rajan | November 25, 2025

Gir Somnath, Gujarat, INDIA: Police in Gujarat’s Gir Somnath district have arrested a 24-year-old man for the murder of his neighbour earlier this month — a case that has now widened to include a second killing committed four months ago. 

The accused, identified as Shyam Chauhan, is a Class 10-pass youth who previously worked as a compounder for local doctors, a role that investigators say gave him access to medical knowledge and drugs used in both crimes.

According to police, Chauhan murdered his neighbour, Bhavanaben Chandegra, on November 11 with the intention of robbing her. Officers said he had gained the woman’s trust by offering to help her get a thalassemia test done. On the pretext of drawing a blood sample, he visited her home and allegedly administered an overdose of anaesthetic drugs, leading to her death. 

Evidence found at the scene — including an injection kept on a table, a puncture mark on the victim’s hand, bloodstains on the mattress, and missing gold jewellery — indicated that her death was a carefully planned killing rather than a natural demise.

A major breakthrough came when surveillance teams spotted Chauhan attempting to sell the stolen ornaments at a local jewellery shop. He was detained, and during interrogation he allegedly confessed to killing Bhavanaben and fleeing with her jewellery.

Investigators said Chauhan also admitted to murdering a woman friend four months earlier. In that case, he allegedly gave her morphine tablets before escaping with her jewellery. According to officials, he told interrogators that he committed both murders for “pleasure” and financial gain.

Gir Somnath Superintendent of Police said the investigation initially centred on people known to the victim, which eventually led officers to Chauhan, who lived in the same neighbourhood. Police said further legal procedures are underway, and more details may emerge as the probe progresses.