Pune: A 34-year-old woman whose parents believed she was pursuing an MBA in London was found dead in a locked flat in Pune after digital food delivery payments helped police trace her location. The circumstances surrounding her return to India and her death remain unclear.
Mugdha Deshmukh’s parents, Avinash Deshmukh and his wife, believed she was building a new life in London, where she had travelled in July 2025 to pursue an MBA following her husband’s death. She remained in contact with her parents through phone calls and messages.
On October 23, Mugdha reportedly told her mother that she was in a hurry to attend a job interview. Her phone was switched off afterwards, raising concerns among her family.
Food delivery payments provide a clue
The family contacted one of Mugdha’s friends in London, who approached the London police. British authorities reportedly informed them that Mugdha had left the country within weeks of arriving in 2025.
The family subsequently examined her bank records and found payments to food delivery applications in India between October 8 and October 25. These transactions helped police trace the delivery address to a flat in the Lodha Belmondo residential complex in Gahunje, Pune.
On October 28, police found the flat locked from inside. After entering the premises, they discovered Mugdha’s body.
Cause of death remains unknown
According to police, there were no visible injury marks on Mugdha’s body. An accidental death report has been registered, and authorities are awaiting the results of medical examinations to establish the cause of death.
Investigators are yet to determine why Mugdha returned to India without informing her parents and what happened inside the flat before she died.
