Ludhiana: AAP leader’s wife killed during ‘robbery’, police doubt story
Deceased’s kin stage protest outside DMCH, seek arrest of killers; police say spouse, who is “changing statements frequently”, has been detained for questioning
Manvi Mittal, alias Lipsy, 33, wife of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and businessman Anokh Mittal, was murdered allegedly by “armed robbers” at Dehlon bypass on Saturday night. According to the victim’s husband, they were attacked while returning from Dehlon after dinner in a restaurant, but cops doubt his claim. A senior police officer, who didn’t wish to be named, said Anokh Mittal has been changing his statements frequently so the investigators believe he may have been “concocting” the robbery story.
In the evening hours of Sunday, the police took Anokh into custody for questioning. Earlier in the day, kin of Manvi Mittal staged a protest outside the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital seeking arrest of the “robbers”.
According to the police, the deceased’s husband reported the matter to the police stating that he and his wife were returning home after having dinner at a restaurant at the Malerkotla rad. He stated that when they reached Dehlon bypass at around 11.30 pm, he stopped the car alongside the road to answer nature’s call. After he alighted from the car and walked towards the roadside, at least five men laced with sharp-edged weapons turned up and assaulted him following which he lost consciousness, he stated to the police.
Mittal further informed that after some time when he regained consciousness, he found his wife lying in a pool of blood on the roadside while her jewellery and car were missing. He added that they cried for help for at least one hour, but no passerby stopped to help him. Later, a dhaba owner came to their rescue and rushed them to a hospital where his wife succumbed to her injuries, he informed.
Meanwhile, the police reached the spot for an investigation. A senior police officer, seeking anonymity, said Mittal was changing his statement frequently. The police also came to know about the strained relationship between the couple.
Anokh Mittal, a prominent businessman and AAP leader, was inducted into the party about four months ago by MLA Ashok Parashar Pappi.
Harjinder Singh, assistant commissioner of police (ACP, South), said Mittal informed that the assailants made him sniff some intoxicants also. The police took him to a hospital to confirm his claim.
The ACP added that the police are investigating the matter from all aspects. The police will solve the case very soon, he added.