The accused were produced in a court and remanded in police custody till September 19. (Representational)

Two persons have been arrested by Nagpada police for allegedly killing a 45-year-old man and burying his body in Bhiwandi forest.

Police said the main accused, a 22-year-old man, told them that he was in a relationship with the deceased. He wanted to call it off, but the deceased blackmailed and sexually assaulted him, so he decided to kill him, police said.

The incident came to light after a missing complaint was lodged on August 28 by the deceased’s wife.

Police said the deceased would often fight with his wife, so they initially thought he must have left the house in anger and would eventually return. But as his phone was switched off and there were no transactions made from his bank account, they sensed something amiss.

“While going through his call data record, we saw he was in constant touch with one particular number. We traced the number in Parel and brought the accused for interrogation,” said an officer.

The accused later confessed to the crime after which his accomplice, a 21-year-old man, was also arrested.

The 22-year-old told the police that he got in touch with the deceased through social media after which they met and were in a gay relationship.

“He told us that as his family members wanted him to get married to a girl, he wanted to end their relationship. But the deceased would threaten and call him. The accused alleged that he would sexually assault him,” said an officer.

The two accused then hatched a plan to kill him. The duo dug a pit in the forest at Bhiwandi and called the deceased for a party in Bhiwandi.

“After the 45-year-old got drunk, the accused stabbed him with a knife and buried him,” said an officer.

The police recovered the body from Bhiwandi forest.

The accused were produced in a court and remanded in police custody till September 19.