Greater Noida: Police book man, family for ‘killing and cremating’ wife

The Greater Noida Police on Wednesday booked six persons, including the husband and in-laws of a woman who was allegedly killed and cremated in Dankaur.

The Greater Noida Police on Wednesday booked six persons, including the husband and in-laws of a woman who was allegedly killed and cremated in Dankaur.

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Chandni, 23, of Bulandshahr, had married Jitendra, a resident of Junedpur in Dankaur in January 2017 and had two sons.

On Wednesday, Chandni’s family claimed that they were told that she had been killed and cremated. Police could not confirm the allegation, but have booked the six -- Jitendra, his siblings and their parents -- under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including section 304-B (dowry death). Police said the suspects were absconding with the children.

Chandni’s brother Nitin Kumar filed the complaint at the Dankaur police station.

Kumar said his family had spent nearly ₹10 lakh on the marriage. “Since then, Chandni’s in-laws started demanding ₹2 lakh dowry to start a business,” Kumar said.

He alleged that Jitendra, his father Maharaj Singh, mother Sanno, brothers Ravi and Lala and sister Usha had been harassing the victim. “On October 8, 2020, they had beaten up my sister. We reached Dankaur and brought her back. She stayed with us for a month. On November 8, Jitendra arrived and promised that he will not harass Chandni anymore,” Kumar said in the complaint.

But two nights later, Kumar said, Chandni called him and said that her in-laws were harassing and assaulting her again over dowry. “She pleaded with us to rescue her. On Wednesday morning, we tried contacting Jitendra but the call was not received. We asked our relatives in the neighbourhood to check their house. They reported back saying that the family had killed Chandni and cremated her,” he said.

Vishal Pandey, additional DCP Greater Noida, said that a police team visited the site where the woman was allegedly cremated. “The police have found some evidence which suggested that a body was cremated there. The forensic team has collected evidence and are processing it for confirmation,” he said.

Chandni’s family and a number of others later gathered at Dankaur police station and protested the murder.

Anil Kumar Pandey, SHO Dankaur police station, said based on complaint a case has been registered against six persons under Section 498-A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty), Section 304-B (dowry death), Section 120-B (criminal conspiracy), Section 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), and Section 3 and 4 of Dowry Prohibition Act 1961. “A police team found the suspects absconding,” he said.