Jobless man kills dietician wife, seals body in cement box; letter sent to son reveals chilling plot

SURAT: A chilling murder case of a 39-year-old dietician came to light in Surat on Sunday, with police detaining her husband who allegedly killed her on April 20 and concealed the body in a cement-filled wooden box.

The accused, Vishal Salvi, was traced to a rural area on the outskirts of the city. Police said he had attempted to cover up the crime by hiding the body of his wife, Shilpa, at his old residence in Salabatpura, and later even filing a missing persons report at the Godadara police station. Shilpa held an MSc degree in food and nutrition and worked as a dietician at the corporation-run SMIMER Medical College and Hospital. The couple has two children aged 13 and 8.

The case took a dramatic turn on Saturday when the couple's son sent a letter to a relative via WhatsApp.The letter, allegedly written by Vishal Salvi, contained a confession. In it, he claimed that while the early years of his marriage were peaceful, persistent domestic discord had eventually pushed him to commit the crime. He also revealed that he had concealed Shilpa's body at his old house in Kagji Chawl. According to investigators, Vishal allegedly killed his wife following a domestic quarrel. Preliminary investigations suggest the dispute may have been linked to his prolonged unemployment.

After the murder, Vishal tried to mislead both the family and the police. He reportedly told relatives that he had dropped Shilpa at SMIMER Hospital on April 20 and that she had not returned home. He also lodged a missing complaint at the Godadara police station in an apparent attempt to deflect suspicion.

In his complaint, Shilpa's father, Pradip Kosta, stated that the couple had married in Nov 2010.

Vishal, who earlier worked in the diamond industry, had been unemployed for the past couple of years. The couple frequently quarrelled, and Kosta had travelled from Chhattisgarh on several occasions to mediate between them.

Kosta said he tried calling Shilpa on April 21 but her phone was switched off. When he contacted Vishal, he was told that Shilpa had gone to the hospital and had not returned. Sensing something amiss, Kosta came to Surat and questioned his son-in-law. As suspicions grew, the family approached the police, where Vishal filed the missing complaint the same day.

Salabatpura police inspector R A Jadeja said, "Based on the letter, police reached the first floor of the old house mentioned by the accused and found a body inside a wooden box. Cement had been poured over it in an attempt to conceal it. As the incident was five days old, the body was decomposed."

While a domestic quarrel is suspected to be the main reason, police are investigating the exact motive behind the killing. Officers are also probing whether anyone else had any role in the crime or its attempted cover-up.
Get real-time updates and result insights on the NEET admit card 2026 and CBSE 12th Result 2026