Police Investigation
Woman Who Returned Secretly From UK Found Dead in Rented Lodha Belmondo Flat, Pune
Police in Pimpri-Chinchwad are investigating the death of Mugdha Deshmukh, 34, whose body was found inside a flat she had rented at the Lodha Belmondo complex in Gahunje, Pune. She had reportedly returned from the UK without telling her family.
| Person | Mugdha Deshmukh, 34, originally from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar |
|---|---|
| Location | Lodha Belmondo residential complex, Gahunje, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune |
| Discovery | Thursday, 29 October 2026, according to most reports; one report gives Wednesday, 28 October |
| Police station | Shirgaon Police Station, Pimpri-Chinchwad |
| Cause of death | Yet to be established; viscera preserved and sent for examination |
| Police filing | Accidental death report registered |
| Status as of 31 October 2026 | Investigation continuing |
What happened
Mugdha Deshmukh had left for the United Kingdom in July 2025 to pursue an MBA. She returned to India in August 2025 without informing her family, according to the reports. Police said she had rented the Gahunje flat in April and moved in only after leaving the UK.
Her body was found inside the locked flat at the Lodha Belmondo complex. Police said there were no visible external injury marks on the body.
How police traced her
The family became concerned about her whereabouts and approached Indian authorities and the Indian High Commission for help. A London friend told the family that the last message from Mugdha had come on 22 October. On 26 October, UK authorities informed the family that she had left the country in August.
Her father also checked her bank statements and noticed several transactions between 8 and 25 October on food delivery and online service platforms. Police said these transactions helped them trace her location to the Lodha Belmondo complex in Gahunje.
Senior Inspector Devendra Chavan of Shirgaon Police Station said officers reached the flat, opened the locked door with a duplicate key, and found her dead inside.
Cause of death and the investigation
The cause of death has not yet been established. Police have preserved her viscera and sent samples for examination. The findings of the medical examination will determine the cause of death.
Police have said further investigation into the circumstances of her death is underway. An accidental death report has been registered at Shirgaon Police Station. No dates have been announced for the medical report or for further steps in the case.
The building and the developer
Lodha Belmondo is a residential project in Gahunje, Pune, developed under the Lodha brand. The reports concern a resident's death in a rented flat. They do not concern a construction issue, a delay, a sale or a possession dispute at the project, and no project-level action has been reported.
Lodha Group, which operates under Macrotech Developers, has a presence across several Pune localities, including Gahunje, Hinjewadi, Baner, Wakad and Kothrud. The company has not made a public statement on the death, according to the sources reviewed.
Location context
Gahunje is in Pune East and lies near the Mumbai-Pune Expressway, which runs past the complex. Major roads include the Mumbai-Bangalore Highway and the Old Pune-Mumbai Highway. Pimpri-Chinchwad is served by Purple Line metro stations, but Gahunje is not on a metro line.
A proposed metro corridor from Nigdi to Chakan, spanning 42 km, is planned for the area. The Pimpri-Chinchwad Municipal Corporation has directed MahaMetro to begin preparing a Detailed Project Report for the line. No completion date has been announced.
What it means for buyers, renters and investors
The case highlights the question of who occupies rented flats in large residential complexes and how families can keep track of relatives living abroad or in other cities. For buyers and investors, the reports do not point to any change in the project's construction status, approvals or sales.
Buyers reviewing projects in Gahunje should check the developer's official project documents, the RERA registration for the specific tower, and the possession timeline in writing before booking.
Frequently asked questions
Who was the woman found dead in Pune?
She was Mugdha Deshmukh, a 34-year-old woman from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar who had lived in London and had taken up part-time jobs there. Police found her body in a flat she had rented in Gahunje, Pune.
Where was the body found?
The body was found inside a rented flat at the Lodha Belmondo residential complex in Gahunje, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune. Police opened the locked door with a duplicate key.
What is the cause of death?
The cause of death has not yet been established. Police said there were no visible external injury marks and have sent her viscera for examination.
Does this case involve Lodha or the Lodha Belmondo project?
The reports concern the death of a resident in a rented flat. They do not describe a construction issue, delay, sale or possession dispute at the project, and no project-level action has been reported.
What happens next in the investigation?
Police are continuing the investigation into the circumstances of the death. The medical examination will establish the cause of death. No dates have been announced for these steps.