Insurance claim sparks murder probe, ex-serviceman's body exhumed, wife under lens

Investigators have said Sandeep Manjarik had met with a road accident while returning from a temple fair earlier this year. He was hospitalised for treatment but later died under circumstances that his family has described as suspicious.The police have launched a probe after Sandeep Manjari family said that he might have been murdered for a Rs 2 crore insurance claim.The death of a former serviceman in Karnataka's Belagavi district has come under the scanner as police investigate allegations that he was murdered as part of a conspiracy by his wife to claim a Rs 2 crore insurance payout.Police on Friday exhumed the body of 45-year-old Sandeep Manjarik, nearly three months after his death, following the claims made by his family.According to investigators, Sandeep had met with a road accident while returning from a temple fair earlier this year.He was admitted to a private hospital for treatment but later died under circumstances that his family has described as suspicious. The probe took a dramatic turn after Sandeep's relatives accused his widow, Suma Manjari, and her alleged lover, Pundalik Dombar, conspired to kill him.Police are investigating claims that poison was allegedly administered through a glucose drip while Sandeep was undergoing treatment at the hospital. The allegations gained further momentum after Pundalik released a selfie video in which he claimed that Suma had spoken to him about her husband's Rs 2 crore insurance policy and said they could settle in Belagavi after receiving the insurance money.He also claimed that she had asked him to procure pesticide before Sandeep's death.Acting on the family's complaint and the emerging allegations, police exhumed Sandeep's body.Samples and other remains have been sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) for a fresh probe.Police have questioned both Suma Manjari and Pundalik Dombar as part of the investigation.Officials said further action will be taken after the forensic examination report is received.- EndsPublished By: Karishma Saurabh KalitaPublished On: Aug 7, 2026 08:29 IST