Live-in partner booked for strangulating widow

neighbours discovered the body lying on the floor in the locked room and informed the police

A labourer has been booked for allegedly strangulating his live-in partner in a rented accommodation in Dhandhari Khurd on intervening night of Saturday and Sunday.

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The incident came to light when the neighbours saw the woman’s body lying in the room, through the window, and informed the police.

The victim has been identified as Sheela Devi, 35, of Gorakhpur of Uttar Pradesh.

As per the police, she had lost her husband Ramesh Kumar five years ago following which, she got into a relationship with accused Suresh Kumar Chaudhary. She had shifted to the rented accommodation with her live-in partner only three days ago, say neighbours.

Sub-inspector (SI) Baldev Singh, who is investigating the case, said the body was first noticed by the neighbours who informed the police. “She was lying on the floor of the house. We had to break open the doors to reach inside. We suspect the woman was strangulated to death but the reason will be ascertained only after post-mortem,” the SI said.

Neighbours told the police that on Saturday night, Suresh Kumar Chaudhary had come home in an inebriated condition and had an altercation with Sheela Devi.

The sub-inspector added that wife of the accused was aware of the illicit relationship. She had come to Ludhiana from Uttar Pradesh and taken him home but he came back and started living with Sheela Devi again.

Though the exact motive behind the murder is yet to established, police sources say Sheela Devi was pressurising Suresh for marriage but the latter was not willing to do so.