Man kills wife as their three children sleep in same room in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh

During the initial interrogation, the suspect Ramakant said he was angry with his wife for being overly involved with her side of the family and “neglecting their three children”, said an official.

A daily wage labourer throttled his 28-year-old wife to death while their three children slept in the same room in north-west Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh on Saturday morning, the police said.

A daily wage labourer throttled his 28-year-old wife to death while their three children slept in the same room in north-west Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh on Saturday morning, the police said. (File photo for representation)

During the initial interrogation, the suspect Ramakant said he was angry with his wife for being overly involved with her side of the family and “neglecting their three children”, said Vijayanta Arya, deputy commissioner of police (north-west).

The victim also worked as a daily wage labourer and there were frequent arguments between the couple over who ran the family, the DCP said.

The woman, Soni, lived with Ramakant and their three children -- aged between three and seven -- at a rented room in Singhalpur village in Shalimar Bagh. The murder happened in the early hours of Saturday while the three children were sleeping in the room, the DCP said.

Ramakant allegedly escaped from the house even as the children continued sleeping. “Around 6am on Saturday, we received a call from Soni’s sister who lives in the same neighbourhood and had knocked on the door to check on the family. When she noticed her sister unresponsive and the husband missing, she had raised a hue and cry,” said the DCP.

Since Ramakant was missing, he became the prime suspect.

“We were following his trail and suspected that he would go to his native home in UP’s Jalaun district. We raided his house on Sunday and arrested him. He has confessed to the crime,” said the DCP.