BATHINDA (PUNJAB): The chopped body of an IAF corporal, missing since February 8, was recovered from the residence of a sergeant who was later arrested with his wife on a murder charge. Police yesterday found the chopped body of 27-year-old Vipin Shukla, a corporal in the Air Force Wives Welfare Association (AFWWA) Canteen, stuffed in 16 polythene bags and hidden in different parts of sergeant Sulesh Kumar's quarters at Bhisiana air force station, SP Gurmeet Singh said today.
Shukla, a resident of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh, joined the airforce in 2009 and was posted at the Bhisiana Air Force station in May 2014. He reportedly went missing on February 8. Following a complaint by his wife Kumkum, a case of kidnapping was registered against unknown persons at Nathana police station here on February 15, police said. During interrogation, the Sergeant confessed to his crimes and alleged that Shukla had an illicit relationship with his wife Anuradha, he said.
"After discovering she was pregnant, Anuradha asked Shukla to marry her but he refused," the accused told police. Shukla had also been spreading information about their relationship among other employees, police said. So Anuradha, with her husband and brother Shashi Bhushan hatched a conspiracy to murder Shukla for taking revenge.
"On the evening of February 8, Kumar called Shukla to help him pack luggage as he was to change his quarters. He attacked him with an axe, killing him at his quarters. He then packed the body in a box and took it to his new quarters," he said. "On February 19, Kumar cut the body into pieces with a meat knife and packed it in 16 polythene bags. He put some in the wardrobe and in the refrigerator," SP said. Kumar and Anuradha have been arrested for Shukla's murder while Bhushan is still at large.