Woman's body found in suitcase, man arrested for murder

By Barnabas Karunagari | August 2, 2026

Visakhapatam, Andhra Pradesh, INDIA: Police have arrested a Visakhapatnam man in connection with the alleged murder of a young woman whose decomposed body was found stuffed inside a suitcase in Odisha's Rayagada district last month.

The accused, identified as Bolisetty Suresh Kumar, a resident of Ganganagar in Kancharapalem, Visakhapatnam, was arrested on July 30 by Odisha Police with assistance from the Andhra Pradesh Police. He was later produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody, Rayagada Superintendent of Police Raj Prasad said.

According to investigators, Suresh Kumar, who worked as an auto-rickshaw driver, was already married and his wife is currently pregnant.

Police said the accused became acquainted with the victim, identified as Sandhya, several months ago. Investigators allege that Sandhya, who survived by begging at railway stations and bus stands, had no family support. Suresh allegedly brought her to his home to assist in caring for his pregnant wife.

During that period, police allege the two developed an intimate relationship, and Sandhya later gave birth to a baby girl on March 24.

According to investigators, Sandhya later began insisting that Suresh marry her and allegedly threatened to reveal their relationship to his family if he refused. Police said the dispute led to frequent arguments between the two.

Investigators allege that on the morning of July 15, Sandhya went to Suresh's residence in Kancharapalem, where another argument broke out. During the confrontation, Suresh allegedly assaulted her, resulting in her death.

Police allege that he then placed the woman's body inside a blue trolley suitcase and travelled to Gnanapuram railway station in Visakhapatnam. Investigators said he boarded an Intercity Express train to Rayagada, Odisha, where he allegedly abandoned the suitcase in a secluded area within the Chandili Police Station limits before returning to Visakhapatnam by train the same night.

The case came to light on July 17, when local residents reported a foul smell coming from an abandoned suitcase near a Hyundai showroom in Khaliguda, Rayagada. Police recovered the decomposed body of an unidentified woman from inside the luggage.

Despite appeals through traditional and social media, investigators were initially unable to establish the victim's identity. Police preserved DNA and other biological samples before conducting the woman's last rites in accordance with legal procedures.

A Special Investigation Team working under the supervision of the CWAR Range Deputy Inspector General and the Odisha Crime Branch reviewed CCTV footage from Rayagada and Chandili, while cyber experts analysed mobile phone records, tower location data and other digital evidence. Investigators said the evidence helped trace the suspect's movements between Andhra Pradesh and Odisha.

During questioning, police allege that Suresh confessed to killing Sandhya following an argument over marriage, placing her body in a suitcase, transporting it by train to Odisha and abandoning it before returning to Visakhapatnam.

Police said forensic analysis and the collection of additional evidence are continuing as the investigation progresses.