Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani made a desperate plea to her husband after 12 years of marriage… Shortly after, her body was found in a wheelie bin on a deserted stretch of road. Here’s what she said

An English teacher asked her husband for a divorce and custody of their son before he murdered her and threw her body in a dumpster.

Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani, 35, lived in Point Cook, in Melbourne’s south-west, with her husband Ashok Raj Varikuppala, 38, and their four-year-old daughter Ayra. On March 8, she was allegedly strangled and dumped in a green bin.

By the time her remains were found about 50 miles away in Buckley, Mr Varikuppala had fled to India with their son and is said to have told her parents he was responsible for her death.

According to the Herald Sunhe said, ‘I am sorry for what I did, Chaithanya is no more, I killed her.’

Mr Varikuppala offered her parents four hectares of land to care for Ayra and send him to school. He has not returned to Australia.

Now a close relative of Ms Madhagani has revealed that there was a major source of tension in their 12-year marriage: he wanted to return to India and she wanted to stay in Australia.

“She wanted a divorce… but she wanted his son with her, which Ashok did not accept,” they told the publication.

‘He didn’t believe she could take care of the child, because there was no permanent job either.’

Pictured: Ashok Raj Varikuppala with his wife Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani and their son Ayra

Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani (pictured) was reportedly smothered to death in March

A murder investigation has been launched after the body of Chaithanya ‘Swetha’ Madhagani was found in a wheelie bin at their Buckley home (pictured)

The two times the young family visited India since moving to Melbourne, the family said they saw the two men fighting and urged Mr Varikuppala to leave his wife.

They said the marriage was not arranged and the couple had been together for 17 years, but Mr Varikuppala’s family never fully accepted Ms Madhagani.

“Whatever happened, it’s very sad,” he said.

‘A life was lost. She was not good with our family, but [he] I have always loved her.’

Both families are devastated and concerned for the welfare of the child, who will now have to live without his parents.

In March, more than 100 people gathered at the Mallapur crematorium in Hyderabad to pay their respects to Mrs Madhagani.

Her father Balshetty Madhagani told the crowd: ‘It is not the time to die yet – you were so young, what will we do without you?’

Another relative, Anna Swamy, said they were desperately hoping the police would charge Ms Madhagani’s husband.

“We want justice for our daughter,” he said.

The couple had moved to Australia for a better life.

Ms. Madhagani started her own business in sarees. It was a dream she had cherished for the last six years.

In 2019, she became an Australian citizen, saying on social media at the time: “Grateful for all that I have, all that I know, all that I am.”

In a GoFundMe campaign, she was remembered as an “amazing woman and even better mother.”

Mr Varikuppala’s parents have reportedly offered to care for and educate their grandson Ayra (pictured).

Police raided the home in Point Cook (pictured) after Ms Madhagani’s body was found near Geelong

“She has a heart of gold and touched the hearts of everyone she met. There was never a dull moment in her presence.”

In March, Victoria Police said Varikuppala was a suspect in Ms Madhagani’s death and that he was still overseas despite his claim that he would return to Australia.

Ms Madhagani’s maternal grandfather, K Gopal, who also lives with her parents, previously told Daily Mail Australia he was with them when they arrived.

“They wanted to take care of their grandson,” he said. “They offered him four acres of land.”

They expressed their regret over the incident and apologized for what happened.

‘They remember Swetha as a happy daughter-in-law.’

Mr Gopal said that Mr Varikuppala’s parents had already enrolled Arya in a nearby school.

They did not know where Mr Varikuppala was, but they were told that he was planning to ‘flee’.