Fight over a ‘wet towel’ led to Greater Noida murder

The accused woman also told police that she had left Yuh multiple times in the past following incidents of physical violence, but had returned each time

The 22-year-old woman accused of murdering her 47-year-old live-in partner at a high-rise in Greater Noida’s Sector 150 told police during interrogation that the trigger of the fatal argument was a “wet towel”, which escalated after the victim allegedly taunted her about coming from a “poor nation”, investigators familiar with the case said on Monday.

Police said the couple met at a pub in Gurugram where Pamai, the accused woman, was working before she quit her job and moved in with Yuh around a year-and-a-half ago. (HT Photo)

The accused, identified as Lum Jianna Pamai, from Khoupum in Manipur, was questioned by police after being taken into custody and later produced before a chief judicial magistrate (CJM) court in Gautam Budh Nagar, which remanded her to 14 days of judicial custody.

The deceased has been identified as Yuh Duck-Hee, a South Korean national from Cheongju-si, who had been living with Pamai at ATS Pious Hideaways for over two years. Yuh had been living in India for the past decade and was employed as a branch manager at a logistics firm in Noida’s Sector 142, police said. Police said the couple met at a pub in Gurugram where Pamai was working before she quit her job and moved in with Yuh around a year-and-a-half ago.

During questioning, Pamai told investigators that the couple had returned to their flat late Saturday night after shopping and dining at a restaurant. The two consumed alcohol together before retiring to the apartment.

Between 2am and 3am, Pamai said she went to take a bath. When Yuh later entered the bathroom, he allegedly discovered that his towel was wet, having already been used by her. Police said Pamai claimed Yuh, who was allegedly intoxicated at the time, began arguing with her over the towel.

“During the altercation, the man allegedly made derogatory remarks, saying she belonged to a poor country,” said a senior police officer involved in the investigation, requesting anonymity. Pamai told police that such remarks had upset her in the past as well.

Investigators said the woman claimed the confrontation turned physical. Pamai told police that she attempted to leave the flat, but Yuh allegedly picked up a knife to stop her. During the struggle that followed, she managed to snatch the knife and stabbed him in the chest.

After Yuh collapsed, Pamai called his driver, Gopal, and then rushed the injured man to a hospital in Greater Noida, where he was declared dead. She later took him to another private facility before accepting his death.

During interrogation, Pamai also told police that she had left Yuh multiple times in the past following incidents of physical violence, but had returned each time. She alleged that Yuh often humiliated her by calling her country poor and unclean.

On the complaint of the driver, a case under Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered at Knowledge Park police station.

“She was produced before a court and sent to judicial custody,” said Sudhir Kumar, additional deputy commissioner of police, Greater Noida.

Yuh’s family was informed through the South Korean embassy, and his post-mortem was conducted on Monday in the presence of embassy officials. His body has since been handed over for repatriation to South Korea for the last rites.