A man in Moradabad district, Uttar Pradesh, was arrested for allegedly strangling and stabbing a 20-year-old woman multiple times, including wounds to her private areas, police said Tuesday. The victim and the accused reportedly had an argument over an issue. The woman was found dead on Sunday in a maize field near the Mainather police station, a day after she was murdered on Saturday. Her body showed numerous stab wounds. Authorities arrested Mohammad Rafi, also known as Arif, following a complaint by the victim’s mother, who accused him of stalking her daughter and pressuring her to communicate with him. According to the FIR, the woman did not want to engage with Rafi, but he persisted for a long time.

During police questioning, Rafi admitted to knowing the woman and said they used to talk on the phone. He claimed the woman had called him to the field on Saturday, and during their meeting that evening, she allegedly insulted him over an issue. Police stated that an argument broke out, making Rafi angry. He reportedly grabbed her dupatta, strangled her until she lost consciousness, then stabbed her several times with a screwdriver before fleeing the scene.

The victim’s family said she was stabbed more than a dozen times, including injuries to her private parts. Police have recovered the screwdriver and the woman’s phone from Rafi, who is now in custody on murder charges.