Maharashtra Minister Orders Special Squads To Prevent Shraddha Murder-Like Cases

Shraddha Murder Case: Maharashtra tourism minister MP Lodha has ordered the state women's commission to form a special squad that would help women disconnected from their families.

Mahrashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Saturday said that he had directed the state women's commission to form a squad that could prevent incidents like the Shraddha murder in Delhi.

“When a girl crosses 18 years of age, she can't be stopped by her family or the police. When she fights her family and marries, she knows she won't get any help from her kin. We saw what happens then — the recent case in Delhi [Shraddha murder] is a glaring example. To ensure that this doesn't happen with other girls, I've directed the state women's commission to form a squad,” Lodha said.

“This squad will provide help and protection to girls who have disconnected from their families,” the tourism and skill development minister said.

Shraddha Walkar, an aspiring journalist was strangled by her live-in partner Aftab Poonawalla on May 18. He then chopped her body into 35 pieces, which he kept in a 300-litre fridge for almost three weeks at his residence in South Delhi's Mehrauli, before dumping them across the city over several days past midnight.

Earlier in the day, Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma claimed that Shraddha Walkar’s murder was a case of love jihad. Sarma said: "She was killed in the name of love jihad. Even after killing Shraddha and storing the pieces of her body in a refrigerator, Aftab would bring home girls and date them."

The couple used to have frequent arguments over financial matters. Police suspect the couple fought over one such matter that resulted in Aftab killing Shraddha on the evening of May 18.

Aftab has allegedly been trying to derail the investigation by changing his statements and giving conflicting answers during interrogation. Following this, the Delhi Police has secured permission for his narco test, which may be conducted next week at Ambedkar Hospital in Delhi.

Shraddha (26) and Aftab (28), both call-centre employees, met on the dating app, Bumble, three years ago but the relationship wasn't a happy one.

(With inputs from ANI.)