E-Paper
Skeletons in Panipat house: Accused’s wife, son held for destroying evidence
Police say the accused man’s first wife and son knew of the triple murders but instead of reporting the crime, they took her belongings and destroyed her passbook and ATM card
Three days after an Uttar Pradesh-based carpenter was held for killing his second wife and her teenaged sons in 2016, the accused’s first wife and son were arrested on Sunday for allegedly helping him destroy the evidence.
The accused, Noorjahan and her son Mohammad Sakir, were arrested from Jagaheri village of Muzaffarnagar. Police said the woman and her son knew that the primary accused, Ehsan Saifi, had killed his second wife Najneen, 35, and her sons aged 14 and 15 but they did not report the crime and helped him destroy evidence instead. Najneen had adopted the 15-year-old victim.
“Noorjahan and Sakir had come to Panipat in January 2017. When they enquired after Najneen and her sons, Saifi confessed that he had killed them and buried their bodies in the room. Later, the duo took Najneen’s belongings, including a refrigerator, washing machine, and LED-display television to their house in Muzaffarnagar and destroyed her passbook and ATM card.
The shocking incident had come to light on March 23 after three human skeletons were found from Saifi’s old house in Shiv Colony of Panipat when the present owner had the floor dug up to remove an insect infestation. Hours later, Saifi was arrested from Bhadohi of Uttar Pradesh. He has confessed to have committed the triple murders.
“Saifi, who was already married to Noorjahan, married to Najneen through an online matrimonial website and moved to Panipat with her. However, after a few months of marriage, Najneen learnt that Saifi was already married and had three children. When she objected, he decided to kill her,” said Satish Vats, Panipat deputy superintendent of police.
