'Record the call, I'm killing her,' recalls brother of Delhi Police SWAT commando murdered by husband

After battling for life for five days, Kajal succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Ghaziabad on the morning of January 27.

New Delhi: A desperate phone call, a husband allegedly announcing a killing in real time, and a brother forced to listen helplessly to his sister's screams — these were the chilling final moments of a 27-year-old Delhi Police SWAT commando who later died after being brutally assaulted at her Delhi home.

"He told me to put the call on recording, said it could be used as police evidence; (then) told me he was killing her. And then, I heard her screams," recalled Kajal Chaudhary's brother Nikhil, his voice trembling as he described the horror of January 22, when Kajal's husband allegedly smashed her head with a heavy dumbbell.

Kajal, posted with the Special Cell of Delhi Police, was at her residence in Mohan Garden when the attack took place. Her husband, Ankur, a clerk in the Ministry of Defence and posted in Delhi Cantt, was arrested hours later. After battling for life for five days, she succumbed to her injuries at a hospital in Ghaziabad on the morning of January 27.

Nikhil, a constable posted at Parliament Street Police Station, told PTI that the sequence began with a call from Ankur. “He called me and said, ‘Apni behen ko samjha le’ (Make your sister understand). I asked him to calm down and immediately called my sister," he said.

“She normally wouldn’t tell us much about what was happening, but that day she was sharing her ordeal. While we were speaking, he got angry that she was telling me things and snatched the phone from her,” Nikhil said.

“Then he said to me, ‘Is call ko recording pe rakh, police evidence me kaam aayega. Main maar raha hoon teri behen ko. Police mera kuch nahi kar payegi’ (Put this call on recording, it will be useful as police evidence. I am killing your sister. Police won’t be able to do anything). Then I heard her screams. The call ended abruptly," he said, shuddering.

Barely five minutes later, Nikhil’s phone rang again. "He (Ankur) said, ‘Ye mar gayi hai. Hospital aajao’ (She is dead. Come to the hospital). We rushed there with police personnel. He and his family were already present. When I saw my sister… not even an enemy kills someone like this," he said.

According to the family, Kajal's head was severely smashed, and she had multiple injuries across her body. Nikhil said they tried to get her admitted to several hospitals but were allegedly told her chances of survival were minimal. She was finally admitted to a Ghaziabad hospital, where she died.

The family has accused Ankur and his relatives of prolonged torture and dowry harassment, including during her pregnancy. The couple has a one-and-a-half-year-old son, who is currently with his maternal grandparents.

Recalling an earlier incident, Nikhil said Kajal had been slapped by her husband around five months ago. "I went there and asked her to come with me. Ankur apologised and swore on his child that he wouldn’t repeat it. I told my sister she could return home whenever she wanted and didn’t have to stay there," he said.

He alleged that even during pregnancy, Kajal was made to do household chores after returning from duty. "She would cook, wash clothes and utensils despite being pregnant," he claimed.

"Her son doesn’t know anything about the incident, and we have decided that we will only raise him. We will tell him when he is mature to understand such things," Nikhil told PTI.

Her father, Rakesh, alleged persistent dowry demands. "We gave them a Bullet bike, gold jewellery and cash at the wedding, but they said our son would have got a car (had he married someone else). Later, my daughter even arranged a car, but they didn't stop harassing her. We couldn't even speak freely to her," he said.

Her mother said the family had spent around Rs 20 lakh on the marriage and taken loans. "He (Ankur) had also taken Rs 5 lakh from her...She (Kajal) suffered a lot. I want justice. He is a monster," she said.

The couple had known each other since their college days in Panipat and got married on November 23, 2023. Due to frequent disputes at their native home in Ganaur, Haryana, they shifted to a rented accommodation in West Delhi's Mohan Garden in December 2024, the family said. However, tensions reportedly continued.

Police said financial stress and domestic disputes were also part of the friction. "The couple had taken some loans and often had arguments over finances and household expenses," a Delhi Police officer said.

"On January 22, Ankur allegedly first banged Kajal’s head against a door frame before attacking her with a dumbbell," the officer said.

A case was registered at Mohan Garden police station based on Nikhil’s complaint. "He was initially booked for attempt to murder. After her death, the charges will be converted to murder,” the officer added.