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Ghee, alcohol, fire: How forensic student, crime show lover, made deadly cocktail to kill live-in partner in Delhi
Police said the victim and her 21-year-old live-in partner - a BSc forensic science student from Moradabad, had been in a relationship since May this year.
Delhi Police has unearthed chilling details of a brutal murder in Timarpur masked as an accidental fire by a 21-year old woman, a forensic science student described as a crime-shows' fan. The woman allegedly killed her live-in partner and tried to stage the crime scene using ghee (clarified butter) and alcohol as a blaze to mislead investigators.
Police said the murder took place on October 6 and was a revenge plot after the victim, a UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) aspirant, allegedly took obscene videos of the woman.
Chilling details in case
-A deadly fire in early hours of Oct 6: Around 2.50 am on October 6, police received a call about a fire at a fourth-floor room in Delhi's Gandhi Vihar. After the fire was doused, officers found a severely burnt body inside. Initially, a case was registered under provisions related to negligent conduct with fire, pending post-mortem and forensic analysis.
-How suspicions grew: Suspicions grew when the victim's cousin questioned the nature of the death as the CCTV footage from the area revealed two people entering the building before the fire and one woman leaving shortly before it erupted. Police identified her as the victim's 21-year-old live-in partner - a BSc forensic science student from Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad, who had been in a relationship with him since May this year.
-Relation turned dark: According to those investigating the crime, the relationship turned dark after the woman found out the victim had recorded obscene videos of her and refused to delete them. "When she discovered the videos and asked him to delete them, he refused and even made up false stories to humiliate her," an earlier HT report on the case quoted a senior police officer.
-Woman goes to ex: Feeling trapped and angry, she confided in her ex-boyfriend, who decided to take revenge, the above-mentioned officer said. The police said the woman, her ex-boyfriend, and another associate plotted to kill the victim and destroy all evidence of the crime.
-Woman uses forensics knowledge, crime-show fascination: Using her academic knowledge of forensic science and her fascination with crime shows, she allegedly devised a plan to make the murder look like an accidental fire. "On the night of October 5, the trio visited the victim's flat, where they allegedly strangled and beat him to death before pouring oil - reportedly ghee or clarified butter - and alcohol over the body. "She was pursuing forensic science and later shifted to a computer science course. She knew how to mislead investigators and planned the fire to destroy evidence," said the officer.
-Ex knew how to manipulate gas cylinder: Police said the ex-boyfriend, who works as an LPG gas distributor in Moradabad, then set up the scene for a fire. "He knew how to manipulate the gas cylinder. They opened the regulator and ignited the fire using a lighter, leaving the cylinder near the victim's head… about an hour later, the cylinder exploded, and the body was completely charred," the officer said.
-Accused fled with hard disk: According to police sources cited in a PTI news agency report, the accused strangled the victim before pouring oil, ghee, and liquor on his body. The woman's ex-boyfriend, using his experience as an LPG distributor, opened the gas cylinder's valve and set it on fire, triggering a powerful explosion. The trio then fled the scene, carrying away the victim's hard disk, laptops, and other belongings.
-How police tracked accused: The elaborate attempt to erase all evidence fell apart as investigators tracked them using CCTV footage, call detail records, and technical surveillance. The woman was arrested on October 18 from UP's Moradabad, followed by the ex-boyfriend on October 21 and their associate on October 23. During the investigation, police recovered a hard disk, a trolley bag, the deceased's shirt, and two mobile phones from the accused.
Police said further forensic examination is underway, and the final cause of death will be confirmed after the viscera report.
