During the probe, the police noticed chicken feathers stuck on a gunny bag that was found near the body. (Reuters image for representation)

Police arrested a 33-year-old man for allegedly murdering a woman in Thane district of Maharashtra.

The 30-year-old victim's half-burnt body was found at Raya village near Titwala last month, a Times of India report said.

The accused was identified as Aalam Shaik, a chicken seller from Titwala. The Thane crime branch tracked Aalam down with the help of a chicken feather and an amulet with Bengali inscriptions found near the body.

During the probe, the police noticed chicken feathers stuck on a gunny bag that was found near the body and a 'tabiz' (amulet) with something written in Bengali tied around a body part, police said.

The police then tried to track the chicken shop owners and those who spoke Bengali in the area.

They later got information that a woman from Khadavali area used to come to a chicken-seller, identified as Aalam Shaikh (33), the official said.

The police also came to know that Aalam had all of a sudden left for West Bengal after the body was found.

Police learnt that Aalam had been missing from his home since a few days after they asked around the Bengali community in his area.

The police then found out that the woman was one of Aalam's customers and the two were in love.

She had borrowed Rs 2.5 lakh from Aalam but refused to return it, police said.

This led to a heated argument between the couple, during which Aalam strangled her to death.

Aalam stuffed the woman's body in a gunny bag and burnt it so she could not be identified.

Police said he took the help of a friend to burn the body under a bridge near Titwala.

Police have nabbed Aalam, however, his friend Manoruddin Shaikh is currently absconding.

Aalam confessed to the crime, police said.