NEW DELHI: A 47-year-old painter has been arrested along with his associates for allegedly killing his wife over suspicion of infidelity and burying her body in a graveyard in south Delhi’s Mehrauli area, police said on Tuesday.
The woman’s body was exhumed 11 days later during the investigation. She is survived by her 11-year-old daughter and five-year-old son.
The accused have been identified as Shabab Ali, Tanveer Khan (25), both natives of Amroha district in Uttar Pradesh, and Shahrukh Khan (28), a resident of Chandanholla, Delhi.
A missing person’s report for a 30-year-old woman, a resident of Islam Colony, Mehrauli, was lodged at the Mehrauli Police Station on 10 August by her woman friend.
During the investigation, technical surveillance and CCTV footage revealed that the victim’s husband, Shabab Ali, was seen with his associates transporting her in a car while she appeared to be unconscious. Upon sustained interrogation, Ali confessed to the crime.
According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ankit Chauhan, Ali admitted that on 2 August, suspecting his wife of infidelity, he administered sleeping pills and a poisonous weedicide to kill her. With the help of his associates, he then transported her body during the night of 2–3 August and buried it in a graveyard at Chandanholla.
Following his confession, and with approval from the concerned Sub-Divisional Magistrate (SDM), the body was exhumed on 15 August in the presence of police officials.
All three accused, Ali, Tanveer Khan, and Shahrukh Khan have been arrested. The car used in the crime was recovered from Shahrukh. Efforts are underway to apprehend one more absconding accused, the DCP added.