Washim (Maharashtra): A 28-year-old Indian Army jawan has been arrested for allegedly strangling his seven-month-pregnant wife to death at their home in Washim district and attempting to portray the killing as an accidental fall, police said.
The accused, identified as Dnyaneshwar Madne, is posted with the Army’s 6 Maratha Battalion. Police registered a murder case against him and his parents after a complaint from the victim’s family. The incident came to light after doctors noticed injury marks on the woman’s neck and alerted authorities.
Sequence of events
According to the victim’s brother, Rahul Mane, Madne telephoned the family around 3 pm on Thursday (August 6, 2026) and claimed that his wife, Dipali (also referred to as Deepali in some reports), had fallen at home while doing household work and had been admitted to hospital.
Dipali’s family, who live in Burhanpur district of neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, immediately left for Washim and reached the area around 7 pm. By then, she had been taken first to a private hospital in an ambulance arranged by the accused and later referred to a government hospital.
At the government facility, doctors observed clear injury marks on the woman’s neck. Suspecting foul play rather than an accidental fall, they informed the police. A senior officer, identified in reports as Manish Thakre (also spelled Thackeray in some accounts), stated that police received a memo from the hospital about a woman’s body having been brought in an ambulance.
“When our team reached the hospital, it was apparent that something was wrong. There were visible injury marks on the woman’s neck,” the officer said.
Investigators believe an argument between the couple escalated at their residence, during which Madne allegedly strangled Dipali. Police noted that the accused was scheduled to leave for duty in Jammu and Kashmir the following day.
Family allegations of harassment and extramarital affair
Rahul Mane has alleged that Madne was involved in an extramarital relationship with another woman and had been harassing Dipali over the issue for a prolonged period. According to the family, tensions had escalated months earlier, prompting both sides to hold a meeting in an attempt to resolve the dispute. While the matter appeared settled at the time, the family claims the harassment continued.
These allegations form part of the complaint that led to the registration of the murder case. Police have booked Madne’s parents in connection with the matter as well. The precise role of the parents, if any, remains under investigation.
Police action and ongoing probe
Based on the complaint, Washim police arrested Dnyaneshwar Madne and registered a case of murder against him and his parents. The investigation is focused on establishing the exact sequence of events, the circumstances leading to Dipali’s death, and the veracity of the family’s claims regarding prior harassment and the alleged affair.
Medical findings of neck injuries contradict the initial claim of a simple fall. Further forensic examination and statements are expected to clarify the cause of death and any additional factors.
The case highlights a domestic crime involving a serving soldier. As with all such matters, the allegations remain subject to investigation and judicial scrutiny; the accused is entitled to due process.
Reports on the incident first emerged in detail on August 7–8, 2026, with subsequent coverage confirming the core facts of the arrest, the medical observation of injury marks, the family’s complaint, and the attempted portrayal of the death as accidental.
