3 held for killing couple
A 31-year-old man and his two associates were arrested for killing a couple and dumping their bodies in Bawana canal in outer Delhi, police said on Monday.
Mahender Yadav, an assistant at a chemist in Ashok Vihar and resident of Rohini, along with his associates Suleman, 31, and Narender Kumar, 19, had killed Sonika, 21, and Abhay, 25, in June 2011. Suleman is from Samaypur Badli and Kumar is from Bulandsahar in UP.
“Yadav was a married man but had an extra-marital affair with Sonika.
“He had also arranged a job for her in a chemist in Bharat Nagar. However, while working at the shop, Sonika became good friends with colleague Abhay and started avoiding Yadav. Enraged over it, Yadav decided to kill Abhay,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer Delhi) B S Jaiswal.
Sonika’s body was found near a bridge in Bawana canal on June 17. Her throat was slit and her hands were tied with a cloth. The body of Abhay, a resident of Patel Nagar, was found on June 18 near Haidarpur water treatment plant. His throat was also slit and there were stab injuries on the side of his face.
“The cases were found to be connected as both the deceased were working at the same place. They were also good friends,” Jaiswal said.
During investigation, the police contacted various persons, including the couple’s family members, and reached to a conclusion that Yadav and his friend Narender were involved in the murder.
They arrested Narender on December 31 and upon interrogation, he admitted that the trio was involved in the murder and disposal of the bodies. Yadav and Suleman were also arrested following Narender’s statement.
Yadav told police that he had called Sonika and Abhay to Samaypur Badli railway station on June 16.
“When Yadav met the couple, he took them to a car parked outside the railway station on the pretext of taking them to a person for a job. Then he deliberately entered into an argument with Abhay and started abusing and beating him. His associates also joined. Then they forcibly took them to Bawana canal,” Jaiswal said.
“When Sonika tried to raise an alarm and threatened to report the matter to police, they decided to kill her as well. Her body was also thrown into the canal, some distance away from where Abhay’s body was dumped,” Jaiswal said. Police said they will further interrogate the accused.
Woman freed on bail
A woman, held guilty of abetting the suicide of a newly-wed bride, has been released on probation by a Delhi court on the ground of being a female.
While giving the woman an opportunity to reform herself, Additional Sessions Judge Rajeev Bansal, however, sentenced victim’s husband Dinesh Kumar to five years imprisonment for the offence.
“If the in-laws of a bride are in any manner found to be instrumental in her death by the judicial process, which amount to an offence, such offenders do not deserve any undue mercy in sentencing and demands a befitting punishment,” the judge said. The court released 26-year-old Sushila, a relative of the deceased, on probation after considering that she was a first time offender and she was mother of three children, eldest being less than six years of age.
“I consider that at this particular juncture, the duty of the court is that instead of sentencing a female convict to custody, an opportunity should be given to reform herself and become a responsible member of the society,” the judge said, adding she shall not involve herself in any other criminal activity.
The court held the two Chattarpur residents guilty of abetting the suicide of Dinesh’s wife in 2009 soon after her marriage. The judge said a bride in Indian culture is expected to live in her matrimonial home.
