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New Delhi, Oct 26 (IANS) In a shocking case, Delhi Police has solved the brutal murder of a 32-year-old UPSC aspirant, whose burnt body was found in a flat in Gandhi Vihar earlier this month. Three people, including a 21-year-old forensic science student, have been arrested for allegedly strangulating the victim, setting her body on fire and accidentally setting fire to destroy evidence, an official said.
Police have identified the arrested accused as Amrita Chauhan (21), Sumit Kashyap (27) and Sandeep Kumar (29), residents of Moradabad, Uttar Pradesh. Investigators said they allegedly murdered the victim Ram Kesh Meena and later poured oil, ghee and liquor on the body before setting it on fire and opening the LPG cylinder regulator to mislead investigators.
A senior police officer said, “It was a cold-blooded, calculated and sensational murder. The accused tried to make it look like a fire accident, but our team busted the conspiracy through technical surveillance, CCTV footage and field work.”
The matter came to light earlier this month on October 6, when police received information about a fire from a house in Gandhi Vihar.
Fire engines extinguished the fire and a police team along with FSL experts found a deeply burnt body inside the flat. The deceased was soon identified as Meena, a UPSC aspirant who lived in the room.
Initially, an FIR was registered under fire related provisions of the BNS. But suspicions grew when CCTV footage showed two masked men entering the building, followed by a woman and another man exiting at around 2:57am – shortly before the fire broke out.
Investigators analyzed technical data and found Amrita Chauhan’s mobile location to be near the crime scene at the time of the incident. “His presence at that time along with CCTV activity made him the prime suspect. We increased technical surveillance and tracked him to Moradabad,” an officer said.
Police teams conducted several raids before arresting Amrita on October 18. During sustained interrogation, she allegedly confessed to naming ex-boyfriend Sumit Kashyap and his associate Sandeep Kumar as co-conspirators.
On his trail, the police recovered a hard disk, a trolley bag and the victim’s shirt. Eventually, Sumit was arrested on October 21, followed by Sandeep on October 23. Two mobile phones were also seized.
Police said that Amrita and the victim were in a relationship and were living together. She later learned that Meena had allegedly recorded obscene videos and stored them on the hard disk, refusing to delete them despite her repeated requests.
An investigating officer said, “She claimed she felt trapped and humiliated. She then involved her ex-boyfriend, who became angry and decided to take revenge.”
Police said Amrita – being a forensic science student and an avid viewer of crime-based web series – allegedly planned the execution to resemble an accidental gas-cylinder fire.
Sumit, who worked as an LPG cylinder distributor, allegedly opened the cylinder regulator and used a lighter to light the fire. After committing the incident, the accused allegedly ran away with the hard disk, laptop and belongings of the deceased, and removed the mesh and closed the iron gate from outside to make it appear safe from tampering.
A senior police officer said, “The way they attempted to mislead the investigation was disturbing. But as soon as we matched the timeline, technical data and local intelligence, the sequence was broken. It was only a matter of time before the conspiracy was exposed.”
Police said further investigation is ongoing and more digital evidence is being analyzed.
North District DCP Raja Banthia said, “All three accused are in custody. We have recovered the hard disk, destroyed material and digital devices. The case is now proceeding with strong technical and forensic support.”
–IANS
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