A 28-year-old woman was killed allegedly by her estranged husband and his paramour in Chhattisgarh’s Kabirdham district, with the body being buried in a forest, police said Monday.
The accused, identified as Lukesh Sahu, 29, the woman’s estranged husband, and Raja Ram Sahu, 26, her paramour, reportedly watched the Bollywood film ‘Drishyam’ before the crime to learn how to conceal the body and avoid arrest. The incident took place on July 19. Police arrested the two men on Sunday.
On July 22, Ramkhilawan Sahu, a resident of Kalyanpur village reported his daughter missing at Lohara police station, after which a search was launched, Kabirdham Additional Superintendent of Police Vikas Kumar said, PTI reported.
The woman’s husband, Lukesh Sahu, had left her three years prior due to suspicions of infidelity, leading her to move back to her paternal home in Kalyanpur. Despite their separation, Lukesh had been ordered by a court to pay monthly maintenance for their three children. Lukesh claimed to be burdened by this financial obligation.
The woman was in a relationship with Raja Ram Sahu, also from Kalyanpur. Raja Ram told police he was frustrated by the woman’s constant demands for money, stating he had already given her Rs 1.50 lakh in cash and electronic gadgets from his shop.
Both men, who were acquainted, plotted to kill the woman. They were arrested based on technical evidence, call detail records, and suspect interrogations. The men admitted to planning the murder for a month and watched the Ajay Devgn film ‘Drishyam’ to learn how to commit the crime and evade capture. Raja Ram watched the film four times, while Lukesh watched it once.
Also Read:Andhra Pradesh: Woman attempts to attack ex-lover with acid at wedding venue, arrested
On July 19, Raja Ram contacted the woman and took her to Ghanikhuta forest on her two-wheeler. As planned, Lukesh also arrived at the location, and the two men allegedly strangled the woman with her saree.
“The duo then buried the body at the bottom of a valley and dumped her two-wheeler and mobile phone in the Karranala barrage. The accused also hid her ornaments under the ground near an electric pole in the village. They threw the agricultural tools, used to dig a pit to bury the body, into a rivulet near a government school,” he said, PTI reported.
Police have recovered the victim’s body, her vehicle, jewellery and objects used in the crime, the official said, adding the accused were arrested on Sunday. Further probe is on into the incident, he said.