Husband became a monster: First, he killed his pregnant wife, then put her body in an acid tub, the last message will give you goosebumps.

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Before killing pregnant doctor Arnima Hayat by pouring acid on her in Sydney, she had shared some horrifying things with her friends. Before her death in January 2022, Arnima had said that her husband Meraj Zafar used to brutalize her. In May, the police found her body in a bathtub of hydrochloric acid in the North Parramatta unit, after which Zafar confessed to the crime of murder.

19-year-old Arnima Hayat was a brilliant medical student, but all her dreams were shattered by her husband Meraj Zafar. Zafar murdered her when she was pregnant.

Bangladesh to Australia shift

Let us tell you that a talented medical student, Arnima, moved to Australia from Bangladesh with her family at the age of nine. Here she dreamed of becoming a surgeon. However, after meeting her first boyfriend, 19-year-old Arnima married him and she also became pregnant. But just four months after marriage, she was scared and desperate to escape from her husband.

Embracing the new life with ease

Arnima adapted seamlessly to her new life in Australia after moving from Bangladesh, where her parents ran a butcher shop. She became an Australian citizen and mastered English. She was hardworking, ambitious, and driven by a desire to help others. Her parents had another daughter, with whom Arnima formed a close bond despite an 11-year age difference.

When Arnima got a place to study medicine at Western Sydney University, her parents were filled with pride. She worked tirelessly to pay the fees and even took a job at a shopping center to help out.

Met Meraj Zafar

Arnima's life turned dark when she met Meraj Zafar, a 20-year-old apprentice builder. Zafar, a skinny high school dropout, had transformed himself in the gym and was now dominating Arnima. From the start, her family was concerned about his temperament. He pressured Arnima to drink alcohol and rumor had it that he also gave her drugs.

distanced from family

During this time, Arnima, who was once close to the family, came under the influence of Zafar and started distancing herself from them. In May 2021, Zafar sought permission from Arnima's father, Abu Hayat, to marry him. Abu Hayat was against the marriage and was reluctant, but he still expressed a desire to meet Zafar's parents. Zafar got angry at this, and later he even abused Abu on a phone call. Abu reported the incidents to the police.

Arnima strangled

Arnima and Zafar then married in October 2021 without any friends or family and began living in a flat in North Parramatta. By January 2022, Arnima was pregnant and had told friends that her husband mistreated her. Arnima had said that Zafar had once strangled her until she fainted.

Last message sent to a friend

She was also thinking of approaching the police but said she was scared of what Zafar would do. On January 29, 2022, a friend received her last message that read 'I hate him'. Despite this, she had no choice and had to stay with her husband. On January 30, Zafar's mother called the police after Zafar told her that the couple had a fight. On information, the police reached the flat where a strong chemical smell was coming from the bathroom. On investigation, they found a bathtub filled with hydrochloric acid and a badly mutilated body lying inside it.

DNA test confirmed the identity of the dead body

The decomposition was so severe that DNA tests had to be conducted to confirm that it was Arnima's body. After being on the run for nearly 20 hours, Zafar surrendered himself to the police. Investigations revealed that Arnima was killed just 45 minutes after she sent her last message to her friend. In chilling CCTV footage, the killer drives his truck to a store and returns after buying first 20 liters and then 80 liters of hydrochloric acid.

21 years and 6 months imprisonment

His internet history also revealed that he had searched 'Can hydrochloric acid burn skin?' and also found out how long a prison sentence was in Sydney for murder. He pleaded guilty to strangling his wife to death before dissolving her body in a tub of acid in May 2024. Zafar told the court that he took full responsibility for Arnima's death, calling it the most horrific thing he had ever done to someone else. The court sentenced Zafar to 21 years and six months in prison with a non-parole period of 16 years.

'I miss my daughter every day'

Arnima K's father said after the sentencing last year, "I remember my daughter every day and see her face in my dreams. She burned the face I kissed every night. Can you imagine someone burning your child?" Her mother Mahfuza said in a statement that she would do anything to see her daughter's face again. Instead, I sit at her grave every Friday, stroking the grass because I can no longer stroke her hair.