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Newlywed wife plots husband’s murder with lover in Rajasthan, masks it as hit-and-run; 4 arrested
The duo also hired two more men to assist them, who allegedly carried out a recce of the murder spot a few days earlier.
A death, initially passed off as a hit-and-run incident during an evening walk, turned out to be a carefully planned murder plot after a 23-year-old woman allegedly killed her 27-year-old husband with the help of her lover in Rajasthan’s Sri Ganganagar because her parents married her off against her wishes.
The police on Wednesday arrested four people after an autopsy revealed injuries inconsistent with a road accident, leading to a confession.
“Prima facie, the two got married in October last year, but the accused woman, Anjali Kumar, had been in a relationship with Sanjay (25) for the last seven years. Anjali’s family was aware of their relationship but still got her married to the victim, Ashish Kumar (27). She was unhappy with the marriage and hence plotted the entire murder,” Sri Ganganagar superintendent of police Amrita Duhan said.
According to the police, Ashish was killed last Friday evening on a road in 01KLM village in Sri Ganganagar. “At that time, Anjali told the police that she and Ashish had gone for an evening walk when an overspeeding bike came from behind and mowed him down. She also claimed that the assailant robbed her gold earring and fled, leaving her unconscious,” the SP said.
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Following this, police sent the body for autopsy and registered a case of negligent driving while searching for the alleged bike rider.
“However, suspicion arose after the autopsy report was received. There were no signs of a hit-and-run accident. However, there were multiple injury marks caused by a brutal assault. We also found no other clues related to any such assailant,” Duhan said.
Police then summoned Anjali for interrogation, during which she confessed on Wednesday that she and her boyfriend had murdered Ashish.
Officials said Anjali and Sanjay are natives of Sadulshahar in Churu district. They met during their graduation at a college in Ravla in Sri Ganganagar a few years ago and entered into a relationship.
“However, Anjali’s family did not approve of the relationship and got her married to Ashish in Sri Ganganagar city. After the wedding, Anjali asked Ashish to allow her to return to their previous college in Ravla for higher studies, a plan she hatched so she could meet Sanjay regularly. Ashish refused, following which Anjali and Sanjay planned his murder just 16 days before the incident,” the SP said.
The duo also hired two more men, Rohit and Siddharth, to assist them, who allegedly carried out a recce of the murder spot a few days earlier.
On Friday, Anjali took Ashish out for an evening walk and brought him to the pre-decided spot in 01KLM village, which was deserted at the time.
“Anjali had already informed Sanjay before she left home with her husband. As soon as they reached the spot, Sanjay and his associates attacked Ashish with rods and sticks and beat him until he collapsed. When he fell unconscious, Sanjay smothered him to death. The autopsy later revealed a deep head injury and signs of smothering,” Douhan said.
After the murder, Anjali handed over her earring and mobile phone to Sanjay to make it appear like a robbery. “Sanjay and his men fled the spot immediately, while Anjali called Ashish’s family members and local people and narrated the pre-planned hit-and-run story,” the SP added.
Police have arrested all four accused — Anjali, Sanjay, Rohit and Siddharth — and registered a murder case against them under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
