
LUCKNOW: A man from Muzaffarnagar district in western Uttar Pradesh reportedly took a loan of Rs 40,000 to hire two contract killers to gang-rape and murder his sister-in-law, police said.
Police have arrested the accused, while the two killers are absconding. The man is a resident of Meerut district of western UP. The incident took place on January 21 near the Nanu canal in Meerut.
Police recovered her remains including her skull from a nearby forest on Friday. Police sources said that the body was charred beyond recognition and it was identified by the parents of the victim's parents on the basis of her partially-burnt clothes, footwear, ring, hair with a clip intact and undergarments all recovered from the crime scene. The body was later sent for autopsy.
According to the police, the victim was gang-raped by her brother-in-law and two others before being strangled to death and set on fire with the intent to destroy the evidence. As per sources, the man, identified as Ashish, was in a relationship with the victim who was his wife’s younger sister.
During interrogation, the alleged perpetrator of the crime claimed that the victim was blackmailing him and he finding no other way to settle the issue, planned her murder. He sought help from a hospital worker, Shubham, who then brought in another associate, Deepak.
“Shubham told him that he had a contact who could help in getting rid of her. They agreed to kill her for Rs 30,000,” said Aditya Bansal, Superintendent of Police for Muzaffarnagar rural police.
“Culprit Ashish took a Rs 40,000 loan, paying Rs 20,000 in advance and Rs 20,000 after the murder,” he added. Police sources claimed that Ashish, Shubham, and Deepak intercepted the victim on a scooter to the canal. They gang-raped her, strangled her with a scarf, and then burnt her body using petrol.
The victim's family reported her missing on January 23. During the investigation, police found that she was last seen with Ashish, Shubham, and Deepak. Officers detained Ashish, who then admitted to the crime during grilling.
Forensic teams recovered the remains of the victim and other belongings from the site,” said the SSP.
“A used and an unused condom were also found, on the spot,” he added.
“We will collect all scientific evidence and ensure a conviction,” Bansal said adding that efforts were on to nab the two absconding perpetrators.