Visakhapatnam woman found dead in burnt car in Uttarakhand; Murder suspected

A mystery has emerged from the hills of Uttarakhand as the charred remains of a dead 45-year-old woman from Visakhapatnam were discovered inside a completely burnt car near Jyotirmath (formerly Joshimath) on 6 April 2025. Police are treating the incident as a suspected case of murder after a vial of poison was found near the vehicle.

According to Uttarakhand police, the woman had been staying at a homestay in Dhak village near Jyotirmath since December, accompanied by a 46-year-old man from Karnataka—now the prime suspect in the case. The two had introduced themselves to the homestay staff as siblings and reportedly spent most of their time indoors, working remotely.

On 5 April, the pair had stepped out to visit the Bhavishya Badri temple in Chamoli. They were seen together by locals around 9:30 pm. The next morning, passersby noticed a burnt car near Jyotirmath with a woman’s body inside. The vehicle bore a Karnataka registration number and was traced back to the missing man.

Superintendent of Police Panwar stated that the police recovered the woman’s tablet from the homestay but found that all the data had been “deliberately deleted.” Investigations also revealed the presence of a poison bottle near the vehicle, strengthening suspicions of foul play.

The case took a significant turn when an Aadhaar card found at the scene identified the deceased as Senapati Shwetapadma, a resident of Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh. Shwetapadma was believed to have moved from Vizag to Bengaluru nearly a decade ago.

Following identification, Uttarakhand police shared call data records, photos, and preliminary details with the Two Town Police in Visakhapatnam. Based on the old Aadhaar information, Vizag police traced her former residence to Daba Gardens, where she had reportedly lived with her brother. The location is now a commercial complex, and inquiries revealed that the siblings had vacated the premises and shifted to Bengaluru years ago.

Further investigation led to another contact who informed the police that both Shwetapadma and her brother had worked at a real estate company—Rajaram Real Estate—in Bengaluru. He added that they had recently traveled to Uttarakhand.

Police also traced the last number dialed from the deceased’s phone, which belonged to her house owner in Bengaluru. The owner, however, claimed ignorance of the woman’s death.

As of now, police have yet to confirm whether the dead Visakhapatnam woman in Uttarakhand was the victim of a murder or a tragic accident. With key digital evidence erased and the prime suspect missing, the case remains shrouded in mystery.

Read also- 7-year-old boy drowns in sports club pool in Visakhapatnam

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