In February 2026, a horrific crime sent shockwaves through Madhya Pradesh and sparked a nationwide conversation about digital blackmail, relationship violence, and the failures of timely police intervention. The Indore MBA student tragedy—involving a brutal murder, a leaked explicit video, and an absconding boyfriend—became one of the most disturbing news stories of the year .
A 24-year-old woman pursuing her MBA was found dead in the rented room of her classmate and boyfriend, Piyush Dhanotia. Before her body was discovered, an objectionable video showing her with a man—his face hidden with emojis—was circulated on the college WhatsApp group from her own phone . The accused has since been arrested, but the case has left many questions about how such a tragedy could have been prevented.
Here is the complete, fact-checked story of the Indore MBA student tragedy.
The Victim and the Accused
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Victim | 24-year-old MBA student (name withheld) |
| Residence | Pandharinath area, Indore |
| Education | First-year/second-semester MBA student at a private institute on Sanwer Road, Indore |
| Accused | Piyush Dhanotia (also spelled Dhamnodia/Dhamnodiya), 24-25 years old |
| Accused’s Origin | Mandsaur district, Madhya Pradesh; father runs a grocery store |
| Relationship | Classmates and reportedly in a romantic relationship |
Both students were pursuing their MBA from the same institution and were in the same class . Piyush had moved to Indore for his studies and was living in a rented room in the Dwarkapuri area’s Uncle Gali .
Timeline of Events: The Final Days
February 10, 2026 (Tuesday): The Day She Disappeared
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Morning/Day | Victim accompanies father to Collectorate area to get her Aadhaar card/birth certificate corrected. Father drops her off . |
| Evening | Victim calls her younger sister, informing her she is going to attend a birthday party with classmate Piyush and will return by 11 PM . |
| Night | Victim never returns home. Her phone is switched off . |
| Same night | An objectionable/explicit video is posted on the college’s official WhatsApp group from the victim’s mobile phone. In the clip, the man’s face is covered with an emoji, but the victim’s face is clearly visible . |
February 11, 2026 (Wednesday): The Search Begins
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Morning | College management removes the video from the WhatsApp group . |
| Day | College authorities call the victim’s father to campus, inform him about the video and that both students’ phones are switched off . |
| Late Night | Family approaches Raoji Bazar police station, then directed to Pandhrinath police station where a missing person’s FIR is finally registered . |
February 12, 2026 (Thursday): Missed Opportunities
The family alleges that police showed little urgency in tracing the victim .
- A constable reportedly visited Piyush’s rented room in Uncle Gali based on the family’s suspicion
- Finding it locked from outside, he left without breaking in, simply telling the landlord to inform police if anyone arrived
- The family continued searching through the day without meaningful progress
February 13, 2026 (Friday): The Grim Discovery
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| Morning/Day | Residents of Uncle Gali complain about a foul smell emanating from Piyush’s locked room . |
| Police Response | Dwarkapuri police arrive, break open the lock . |
| Discovery | The victim’s naked, decomposed body is found lying on the bed. Rope marks around her neck indicate strangulation . |
| Identification | Due to advanced decomposition, the victim’s father can only identify his daughter by the socks she was wearing . |
February 14, 2026 (Saturday): Arrest in Mumbai
| Event | Details |
|---|---|
| Arrest | Piyush Dhanotia is arrested in Mumbai . |
| Confession | He allegedly confesses to strangling his classmate on February 10 and fleeing after locking the room . |
| Charges | Booked under sections 103 (murder), 64 (rape) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and IT Act . |
The Viral Video: A Digital Crime Before Murder
One of the most disturbing aspects of this case is the digital evidence that emerged even before the body was found.
What the Video Showed
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Content | Sexually explicit video showing the victim with a man |
| Source | Posted from the victim’s own mobile phone |
| Platform | College’s official WhatsApp group |
| Victim’s Face | Clearly visible, not blurred |
| Man’s Face | Covered using emojis |
| Timing | Posted on the night of February 10, around the time of the murder |
Additional Digital Crimes
Beyond the WhatsApp group post, the family alleged that the accused:
- Uploaded objectionable videos on the victim’s status/profile
- Sent the videos to people in the victim’s contact list
- Was mentally and physically harassing her
- Was blackmailing her and demanding money
The victim’s father stated that she had been under severe depression due to obscene pictures and videos being circulated, and that the accused was pressuring her to pay his college fees .
Police Response and Investigation
Initial Failures
The family strongly criticized police response, alleging:
- Lack of urgency despite repeated pleas
- A constable visited the accused’s room but failed to break in even though it was locked
- “Talm tol” (delay and avoidance) in taking action
As one report noted, the constable simply informed the landlord to alert police if anyone arrived, then left—a decision that would prove fatal .
After Discovery
| Official | Statement |
|---|---|
| DCP Krishna Lalchandani | “Prima facie, it appeared that she was strangulated with a rope. The murder took place a day or two before the body was discovered” . |
| Additional DCP Dishesh Agrawal | Confirmed the accused’s arrest and charges . |
Legal Charges
After his arrest, Piyush Dhanotia was charged with:
- BNS Section 103: Murder
- BNS Section 64: Rape
- IT Act provisions: Related to circulating obscene material
The Human Tragedy: A Father’s Words
The emotional toll of this case is captured in the victim’s father’s statements:
“I identified my daughter’s body from her socks” .
“Can’t describe her condition” .
“We recognized the body by her socks. She has been murdered. She was tortured and then killed. Her videos were circulated. She was mentally tortured and blackmailed” .
The victim’s younger sister also revealed that the victim had shared concerns about the harassment before her death .
Summary: Key Facts at a Glance
| Element | Details |
|---|---|
| Victim | 24-year-old MBA student, Indore |
| Accused | Piyush Dhanotia, classmate and boyfriend |
| Date Missing | February 10, 2026 |
| Date Body Found | February 13, 2026 |
| Location | Accused’s rented room, Uncle Gali, Dwarkapuri, Indore |
| Cause of Death | Strangulation with rope |
| Viral Video | Explicit clip posted on college WhatsApp group from victim’s phone |
| Arrest Date | February 14, 2026 (Mumbai) |
| Charges | Murder, rape, IT Act violations |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: What happened in the Indore MBA student case?
A: A 24-year-old MBA student was strangled to death by her classmate and boyfriend, Piyush Dhanotia, on February 10, 2026. Before her body was found, an explicit video of her was posted on the college WhatsApp group from her phone .
Q2: Was the accused arrested?
A: Yes. Piyush Dhanotia was arrested in Mumbai on February 14, 2026, and has been charged with murder, rape, and IT Act violations .
Q3: What was in the viral video?
A: The video showed the victim in a sexually explicit act with a man. Her face was clearly visible, while the man’s face was covered with emojis. It was posted on the night of the murder .
Q4: Did the family complain before the body was found?
A: Yes. The family filed a missing person’s complaint late on February 11. They allege police failed to act promptly, including not breaking into the accused’s locked room when a constable visited .
Q5: Was there a history of harassment?
A: Yes. The victim’s father alleged that the accused had been circulating her private videos, blackmailing her, and demanding money for college fees. The victim was reportedly under severe depression .
Q6: How was the body identified?
A: Due to advanced decomposition, the victim’s father could only identify her by the socks she was wearing .
Q7: What legal actions were taken?
A: The accused was booked under BNS Sections 103 (murder) and 64 (rape), along with provisions of the Information Technology Act .
Final Thoughts: A Tragedy of Missed Warnings
The Indore MBA student tragedy is not just a story of murder—it is a story of multiple failures:
- Digital exploitation that went unaddressed
- Blackmail and harassment that pushed a young woman into depression
- A criminal who escalated from threats to violence
- Police inaction that may have cost precious hours
- A system that failed to protect despite warning signs
The victim’s father’s haunting words—”I identified my daughter by her socks”—will remain etched in the public memory as a reminder of what happens when warnings go unheeded and when timely intervention fails .
As authorities continue their investigation, the case serves as a grim reminder of the intersection between digital crime and physical violence—and the urgent need for faster, more sensitive responses to complaints involving harassment and blackmail.
The bottom line: A young life was lost, a family shattered, and a community left searching for answers. May justice prevail.