Pregnant teen wife's chilling last text before being dissolved in bath of acid

Arnima Hayat made a devastating four-word confession to her friend, just hours before her gruesome murder. Arnima, a talented medical student, migrated to Australia from Bangladesh with her family at the age of nine. She harboured dreams of becoming a surgeon, and her parents relocated to provide her with the best possible opportunities. However, after meeting her first boyfriend, 19 year old Arnima found herself ensnared in an abusive marriage, and expecting a child. Merely four months into the marriage, she was terrified and desperate to escape her husband.

As a young girl, Arnima had seamlessly adapted to her new life in Australia, where her parents ran a successful butcher's shop. She became an Australian citizen, mastered English, and discovered her love for sushi, iced coffee, and makeup. She was also industrious, ambitious, and driven by a desire to help others. Her parents had another daughter, with whom Arnima shared a close bond despite an 11-year age gap.

When Arnima secured a place to study medicine at Western Sydney University, her parents swelled with pride. They worked tirelessly to cover the fees, and she took up a part-time job at a shopping centre to contribute. Arnima's life took a dark turn when she met 20 year old apprentice builder Meraj Zafar. Previously a skinny high school dropout, Zafar had transformed himself in the gym and was now an imposing figure over Arnima.

From the outset, her family worried about his controlling nature. He pressured Arnima to drink alcohol and there were rumours about his drug use. Once close family, Arnima began to distance herself under Zafar's influence. In May 2021, Zafar approached Arnima's father, Abu Hayat, seeking his blessing for marriage. Abu was reluctant, and requested to meet Zafar's parents. Enraged by the response, Zafar erupted, later bombarding Abu with abusive phone calls, taunting him with insults like "Are you man or a lady? " and demanding, "Why can't you make a decision?" Alarmed, Abu reported the incidents to the police, leading to Zafar receiving a restraining order.

Despite the turmoil, in October 2021, Arnima and Zafar tied the knot in a private Islamic ceremony, excluding friends and family. The newlyweds settled into an apartment in North Parramatta, Sydney, where they grew increasingly reclusive. Arnima, once vibrant and outgoing, sharing her life's details with her family, ceased communication. The teenager who adored music and shopping receded into silence as she continued her studies.

By January 2022, a pregnant Arnima confided in friends about Zafar's abusive behaviour, although she hadn't sought police intervention. Arnima was trapped in a harrowing cycle of abuse; she needed permission just to step outside and was often denigrated as a "dumb bitch" by him. After one terrifying incident involving another man, he strangled her until she fell unconscious. Desperate texts from Arnima pleaded for an escape. "I just don't want to say this to your face because I'm scared you're going to bash me again," she wrote to him. "I don't want a son like you.".

In response, Zafar coldly dismissed her trauma, texting back, "Baby, you need to let go of the past – whatever I did was not me at all.". Her messages to friends revealed a true portrait of fear; Zafar's jealousy and controlling behaviour weighed heavy on her mind. She mulled over the decision to seek police protection, anxious about his potential reaction. On 29 January, Arnima sent a text to a friend saying, “I have nobody except you,” and said she wanted to leave. The friend replied, “You have got no choice. You have to stay with him.” Arnima responded at 9.10pm, saying, “No, I hate him.” It would be the last time anyone would hear from her.

The next morning brought chilling news when Zafar's mother informed the police that her son had confessed to an altercation with Arnima, leaving him uncertain if she was even alive. Meanwhile, Zafar enquired about the cost of overseas plane tickets. In a chilling discovery, officers who forced entry into a flat were immediately hit by an overpowering chemical odour emanating from the bathroom. Donning hazmat suits, they uncovered a horrifying sight: a bathtub filled with hydrochloric acid cradling a body so severely corroded that DNA was needed for identification.

The victim was confirmed to be Arnima. The suspect, Zafar, had vanished along with his white work truck, prompting authorities to circulate his image among the police force. Within 20 hours, he surrendered himself. Investigators deduced that Arnima's murder occurred a mere 45 minutes after her final text to a friend, with Zafar leaving the premises at 9.55pm, by which time Arnima was already deceased.

Surveillance footage captured Zafar the next day, purchasing 20 litres of hydrochloric acid from a hardware store, later returning for another 80 litres. Despite his denials, evidence pointed to him as the perpetrator attempting to dispose of Arnima's remains. Internet searches on Zafar's computer revealed queries such as "Can hydrochloric acid burn through skin?" and "How many years do you get in Sydney for murder?" prior to the acid purchase. The tragedy left Arnima's family, including her parents and young sister, in profound grief, unable to bid her farewell due to the condition of her body. It also meant their tradition of having an open coffin at her funeral was impossible.