Pregnant teen ‘dissolved in bath of acid’ by jealous husband in horrific murder, You Won’t Believe Why He Did It

A tragic story has emerged about a young woman named Arnima Hayat, whose life was cut short by her abusive husband, Meraj Zafar. Arnima, 19, had moved to Australia from Bangladesh with her family when she was nine and had won a place to study medicine at Western Sydney University. However, her dreams of becoming a surgeon were destroyed when her husband killed her and their unborn child in a horrifying act of violence.

Arnima met Zafar when she was 19, and their relationship quickly became controlling and abusive. She began to distance herself from her family, and when Zafar asked her father for permission to marry her in May 2021, her father hesitated due to Zafar’s abusive behavior. Despite this, the couple married in a secret Islamic ceremony in October 2021, with no friends or family present.

By January 2022, Arnima was pregnant and confided in friends that Zafar was abusive and controlling. She said he would often restrict her movements, requiring her to ask for permission to leave the house. She also revealed that he had once strangled her until she lost consciousness, accusing her of being with another man. Arnima considered going to the police but was too afraid of what Zafar might do.

On January 29, 2022, Arnima sent her final text to a friend, saying, “No, I hate him,” when asked if she felt she had to stay with her husband. The next day, Zafar’s mother called the police after he told her he and Arnima had been in a fight and he wasn’t sure if she was still breathing.

When police arrived at their apartment, they found a strong chemical smell coming from the bathroom. Inside, they discovered a bathtub filled with hydrochloric acid and Arnima’s badly decomposed body. DNA tests were needed to confirm her identity due to the severe damage caused by the acid.

Zafar was seen on CCTV buying large amounts of hydrochloric acid from a homeware store before the murder. His internet search history also revealed he had researched whether hydrochloric acid could burn through skin and the potential prison sentence for murder in Sydney.

After 20 hours on the run, Zafar turned himself in to the police. In May 2024, he pleaded guilty to murdering Arnima by suffocating her and then dissolving her body in acid. He was sentenced to 21 years and six months in prison, with a minimum of 16 years before he can be considered for parole.

Arnima’s family expressed their heartbreak after the sentencing. Her father said he misses her every day and is haunted by the image of her burned face, which he used to kiss every night. Her mother, Mahafuza, wrote a statement saying she longs to see her daughter’s face again and now visits her grave every Friday to stroke the grass, as she can no longer stroke her daughter’s hair.

This heartbreaking case highlights the devastating consequences of domestic abuse and the importance of supporting victims in dangerous relationships.