Gurugram woman’s murder: Father-in-law wanted illicit relationship, allege victim’s kin

Investigators said Devender, before contacting control room, had also rang Amita’s younger sister Pooja living in Rohtak to inform her over the phone that he had killed her sister while venting ire against their father

Gurugram: The family of the deceased, Amita Devi, who was strangled to death by her father-in-law at their house in Sector-7, has alleged that the suspect used to put pressure on her for an illicit relationship, which she had refused leading to her murder, police said on Wednesday.

Amita was in her room when an argument took place between her and her 59-year-old father-in-law Devender Mathur at about 1pm on Tuesday after which he assaulted her with a wooden stick. (Representational Photo)

Amita, 23, was in her room when an argument took place between her and her 59-year-old father-in-law Devender Mathur at about 1pm on Tuesday after which he assaulted her with a wooden stick.

Later, when she fell unconscious, he tied her legs with a piece of cloth, wrapped her head and face with a garbage bag and strangled her to death using a scarf.

Afterwards, Devender, who had voluntarily retired from the department of women and child development of Government of NCT of Delhi four years back, alerted the police control room about his crime.

Investigators said Devender, before contacting the control room, had also called up Amita’s younger sister Pooja living in Rohtak to inform her over the phone that he had killed her sister while venting ire against their father. They said that even at the New Colony police station, Devender had tried to attack the woman’s father Shamsher Singh but was overpowered by police personnel.

Amita had a fight with her husband Mukul Mathur, 25, in a park in Sector-7 during a walk on Tuesday morning and after returning home. Police had earlier said that Devender suspected that Amita had an illicit relationship due to which he murdered her.

Police said that they have registered an FIR against Devender and his adopted Mukul under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at New Colony on the complaint of Amita’s father late Tuesday night.

Singh alleged in the FIR that Devender used to harass her for having physical relations and there had been a panchayat at their native place Jouli, Sonipat where he had promised not to harass her.

“We had also approached police when she lived in Karala in Delhi with them but that time too, it was settled and no written complaint was submitted,” he alleged.

Singh also alleged that the murder was pre-planned as Devender had recently transferred all his movable and immovable assets in the name of his younger brother Ravinder Mathur. Investigators said that they have also received this information and were probing this angle.

Inspector Rajesh Bagri, station house officer of the New Colony police station, said that Devender owned two factories running on rent in Bawana industrial area besides a plot and house built on it in Karala, both in Delhi.

“We will probe if these properties were actually transferred in the name of his suspect’s younger brother before the murder. We are probing all the angles to establish the actual reason behind the murder,” he said.

The officer said that Devender and Mukul were detained from the residence where the murder took place. “Even though Devender is the prime suspect, we also arrested Mukul with him as he was also present inside when the murder took place on Tuesday. We have taken them on police-remand for quizzing,” he said.

Bagri said there were CCTV cameras in the premises which establishes that only Devender, Mukul and his wife Amita were inside at the time of incident