A Merchant Navy officer was allegedly murdered by his wife and her lover in Uttar Pradesh's Meerut. His dismembered body was found sealed inside a plastic drum filled with cement.
The victim, identified as Saurabh Rajput, had recently returned to Meerut from London, for his wife's birthday. However, he was murdered by her and her love on March 4 in Brahmpuri region. His decomposed remains were discovered nearly 15 days later on Tuesday in his rented apartment, Times Of India reported.
Merchant Navy Officer's Body Found In Cement Drum After 15 Days
Rajput had married Muskan Rastogi in 2016 after a love marriage, and had been living with her and their five-year-old daughter in the rented house for the past three years. Police said that the victim was last seen on March 4, the day he is believed to have been murdered.
SP City Ayush Vikram Singh told TOI that the incident was brought to the fore after police received a tip-off about a foul smell from the victim's house. It was later revealed during the investigation that there was a dismembered body chopped into multiple pieces inside the cement-filled drum.
The accused, Rastogi and her lover Sahil Shukla, were taken into custody. They have been booked for murder and for destroying the evidence. They will be produced before court on Wednesday, Singh said.
During interrogation, Rastogi and her lover, confessed to stabbing the officer to death on March 4. They then reportedly went on a vacation to a hill station after killing the victim.
The woman also misled the victim's family into believing that he was alive. She had his phone with her and was messagin his family to avoid any suspicion. However, she kept ignoring their repeated requests to speak with him, TOI reported.
A large crowd gathered outside the officer's house as police retrieved the drum which had his body. The remains have been sent for post-mortem, while both accused have been arrested.
Further investigation into the matter is underway. Police have registered a case under relevant sections on the basis of the family's complaint.