Jharkhand man kills girlfriend over suspicion of cheating, murders witness; dies in police custody

Giridih: A 25-year-old man in Jharkhand's Giridih district allegedly killed his girlfriend, suspecting her of having an affair with someone else, and also murdered another woman who witnessed it, police said on Tuesday.

A few hours after the accused was arrested, he was found lying in a pool of blood inside the police lockup. Apparently, he died by suicide.

The two women, who were found murdered, had gone missing on Friday, following which a complaint was lodged with the police, an officer said.

While investigating the missing persons' complaint, police detained one Srikant Choudhary, a resident of Mahatpur in Gawan police station area, on Monday, SDPO of Khori Mahua Rajendra Prasad told PTI.

"During interrogation, Choudhary confessed to having murdered both the women and also showed the police the site where the bodies were hidden," he said.

The bodies were recovered from Charkhi Nimadih forest late in the night, he said, adding that the accused was arrested later.

"The accused confessed that he was in a relationship with one of the two women, and suspected her of having an affair with another youth. He had called her to the forest, but she came along with the other victim," the SDPO said.

Choudhary first throttled to death the woman with whom he was in a relationship, and also murdered the other woman using a sharp weapon, Prasad said.

The bodies were sent for post-mortem examination to Giridih Sadar Hospital.

On Tuesday afternoon, residents of the village where the two women lived protested at the Gawan police station, demanding stern punishment for Choudhary who was in the lock-up.

“Personnel at the police station heard a scream around 3 pm from the lock-up and found Choudhary lying in a pool of blood,” the SDPO said.

The accused was first taken to the Gawan community health centre (CHC), from where he was referred in a serious condition to Giridih Sadar Hospital. He died there during treatment.

“He was mentally depressed after seeing the public anger outside the police station and attempted suicide inside the lock-up,” Prasad said.

Asked how he died, the police officer said that would be known after the autopsy report comes.

Giridih Deputy Commissioner Ramniwas Yadav told PTI: “We will follow all the protocols mandated for death in police custody, including post-mortem done in the presence of a magistrate and under videography at the Sadar Hospital.”