Man arrested for killing interior designer in Greater Noida

Police said the suspect Arjun Singh, a resident of Alipur in New Delhi, wanted to marry the woman identified as Pinky Chauhan, and he killed her because her family fixed her marriage with someone else

A 30-year-old man was arrested on Thursday night for allegedly killing a 28-year-old woman, an interior designer by profession, in Greater Noida on Wednesday.

The suspect in police custody on Friday. (Sourced)

Police said the suspect Arjun Singh, alias Chaman Chauhan, a resident of Alipur in New Delhi, wanted to marry the woman identified as Pinky Chauhan. Arjun’s sister was married to Pinky’s cousin last year. He killed Pinky because her family fixed her marriage with someone else, said police.

According to police, Pinky’s family members found her with her throat slit and multiple wounds on her body at their home in Paramount Golf Foreste Villas Sector Zeta – 1. Arjun allegedly fled with her cellphone, ₹4 lakh cash and gold jewellery.

Ankur Agarwal, additional deputy commissioner of police, Noida Central, said Arjun fled the spot after committing the murder. “We scanned the CCTV footage and identified him and the scooter used in the crime. We launched a search and also informed Delhi police. A team of Delhi police’s crime branch arrested Arjun from Delhi on Thursday night and handed him over to Noida police,” he said.

On Friday, the Surajpur police took Arjun to find the murder weapon and the valuables, which he had hid in a bush near Tilapta roundabout. “The police found a bag in which a sharp knife, a stolen I-phone and some gold and silver jewellery, ₹ 39,526 in cash, 190 Nepali rupees and $11 dollar were found,” said Agarwal.

Agarwal said that Arjun suddenly snatched a sub-inspector Hariram Singh’s pistol and tried to escape after opening fire. “Police returned the fire; Arjun was shot on the right leg and overpowered. He was sent for medical treatment to the district hospital,” he said.

Agarwal added Arjun wanted to marry Pinky but her family had recently fixed her marriage with somewhere else. “Primary investigation shows the suspect had murdered the woman over this issue,” he said.

Pappu Namberdar, Pinky’s maternal uncle, said her father deals in the transport business in Noida. Originally from Noida’s Chhalera village, the Chauhans shifted to their new home in Greater Noida last year.

On Wednesday afternoon, Pinky’s parents had gone out shopping, and her brother was in his office. “The family planned a pooja and a havan on Thursday. When Pinky’s parents returned home around 9pm, the main door of the house was locked from inside and they knocked on the door several times but did not get any response from Pinky,” said Namberdar .

“Her parents used another set of keys to unlock the door, and on entering the house, they found Pinky lying in a pool of blood, with multiple wounds on her neck and body. They immediately informed the police,” he said.

A case has been registered against Arjun under Sections 302 (murder) and 394 (voluntarily causing hurt in committing robbery) of the IPC. The suspect was produced in court and sent to judicial custody