VARANASI, June 27 -- A 37-year-old woman was allegedly murdered by her lover in the Beejpur police station area of Sonbhadra district. The accused allegedly mutilated her face to prevent her identification. The case came to light on Thursday evening after police arrested the main accused, Lale Panika alias Lala Bhaiya, 44, in connection with the murder. Police shared details of the case on Friday. According to police, the woman and Panika were in a relationship. She was allegedly pressuring him to marry her. Panika, along with his associate Suresh, allegedly took her to a forest at Motki Pahadi on June 19, where they strangled her to death. They then crushed her face with a stone to hide her identity before dumping the body in the bushes. Circle officer Rajesh Kumar Rai said a woman's skeletal remains were recovered from Motki Pahadi on May 30. Police registered a case under section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) against an unidentified person and started an investigation. During the investigation, police found that the woman and her husband, Vinod, were natives of Sonbhadra and she mainly lived there. Panika used to travel to Gujarat for manual labour work with Vinod. During this period, he frequently visited Vinod's house in Gujrat and Sonbhadra and allegedly developed a relationship with Vinod's wife, Parvati, who has three children. Police said Parvati wanted Panika to marry her, but he was unwilling. Investigators believe he planned her murder to end the relationship. The circle officer said that on the day of the incident, Panika and his associate Suresh took the woman to Motki Pahadi on a motorcycle. They allegedly strangled her before crushing her face with a stone and abandoning the body in the bushes. Panika was arrested near Chetwa Turn on Bakrihawa Road, about 300 metres before the turn, on Thursday. Police also recovered the motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. A police team led by station house officer Rajesh Kumar Singh carried out the arrest. Police said Panika has been sent to judicial custody after completing legal formalities. Further investigation is underway....