An Indian woman crafted an elaborate plot to disguise her lover as her dead husband, but the plan later unravelled because of a bowl of mutton soup.

M. Swathi, a 27-year-old nurse at a private hospital in Nagarkurnool town of Telangana state, was arrested on Sunday (Dec 10) for allegedly murdering her 32-year-old husband, Sudhakar Reddy.

Local news network NDTV reported that Swathi was having an affair with her physiotherapist named Rajesh, and the two hatched a plan to kill her husband.

On Nov 27, they allegedly injected anaesthesia into Mr Sudhakar. When he became unconscious, they allegedly bludgeoned him on the head with an iron rod and killed him.

His body was burned and dumped in the Nawabpet forest, according to The Indian Express newspaper.

In a bizarre move, Swathi then allegedly poured acid on her lover's face and told her family that her husband had been attacked.

NDTV reported that the plan was for Rajesh to have plastic surgery and take the place of her husband.



M. Swathi concocted a plot with her lover Rajesh (pictured) to kill her husband and for him to take his place.



However, Mr Sudhakar's family became suspicious when Rajesh refused to eat the mutton soup served to him at the hospital.

They found out that he had told the hospital staff that he was vegetarian, when Mr Sudhakar, in fact, ate meat, NDTV said.

The family also started to notice differences in Rajesh's behaviour and reportedly tested him by asking him to identify relatives.

When Rajesh could not answer the questions, he allegedly stopped speaking and started communicating with signs instead.



M. Swathi allegedly poured acid on her Rajesh's face and told her family that her husband had been attacked.



The Indian Express said that Mr Sudhakar's brother then lodged a police report.

The plan was busted after the police carried out fingerprint tests and discovered the discrepancy.

Swathi finally confessed to killing her husband, after repeated questioning by the police.

According to Indian digital newspaper The News Minute, Swathi also confessed that she was inspired by a 2014 Telugu movie Yevadu. The film is about an injured young man who was given the face of his plastic surgeon's dead son.



M. Swathi confessed that she was inspired by a 2014 Telugu movie Yevadu.



Swathi also revealed to the police that she used to go to Rajesh's clinic for physiotherapy two years ago. But police said that Rajesh was not a qualified physiotherapist, and he had dropped out of the four-year course after a year.

Swathi had reportedly told Rajesh she was unhappy in her marriage.

The police told BBC that they will be arresting Rajesh after he has been treated for facial burns and discharged from the hospital.