It was a Friday evening when Ashish and Anju were out for a walk after dinner in Rajasthan's Sriganganagar. A vehicle hit Ashish, and he died on the spot and Anju was robbed was robbed of her gold jewellery and left unconscious on the road. What initially appeared as a hit-and-run case turned out be a meticulously planned murder and gave the police a chilling reminder of what happened in Meghalaya last year, when a woman Sonam Raghuvanshi, got her husband, Raja Raghuvanshi, killed on their honeymoon.
An investigation into the case found that Anju got Ashish killed by her boyfriend, Sanju, and two others and tried to stage it as a road accident, reports Times of India. Superintendent of Police Amrita Duhan identified the accused as Anju, the victim's wife, Sanjay alias Sanju (25) as his boyfriend, and his alleged accomplices Rohit and Badal. The victim was identified as Ashish Kumar (25). Sanju worked as a waiter at wedding functions. All the four accused have been arrested.
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According to police, on January 31, she contacted Sanjay and finalised the plan and that evening, Sanjay arrived with his aides and hid inthe bushes, police said. When Anju took Ashish for his walk post dinner, she allegedly led him to a deserted stretch, kept him engaged in conversation, and then signalled the attackers.
According to police, the men attacked Ashish on the head with sticks and left him unconscious but after finding out he was still alive, the men allegedly strangled him and fled from the spot. Police said Anju handed over Ashish's mobile phone and the earrings she was wearing to the accused before sending them away and then informed her in-laws that Ashish had died in a road accident.
During questioning, police said Anju repeatedly changed her statements, faltered on key details, and claimed she lost consciousness several times. SP Amrita Duhan added that Anju also alleged unknown assailants robbed her jewellery after the accident, a claim that further contradicted the accident narrative. The post-mortem report noted multiple injuries and signs of strangulation, leading police to treat the death as a homicide.
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(With TOI inputs)
An investigation into the case found that Anju got Ashish killed by her boyfriend, Sanju, and two others and tried to stage it as a road accident, reports Times of India. Superintendent of Police Amrita Duhan identified the accused as Anju, the victim's wife, Sanjay alias Sanju (25) as his boyfriend, and his alleged accomplices Rohit and Badal. The victim was identified as Ashish Kumar (25). Sanju worked as a waiter at wedding functions. All the four accused have been arrested.
How was the murder planned?
Ashish and Anju tied the knot just three months ago, and she was unhappy with the marriage and she reportedly went back to her hometown, Sadulshahar, soon after. There she reconciled with her ex-boyfriend, Sanju, and the two are said to have planned Ashish's murder during that time. Later on, Anju returned to Ashish's house and started living with him, allegedly as a part of the plan. She knew that Ashish regularly went out for a walk after dinner, so she started accompanying him.ALSO READ: Nora Fatehi turns 34: 'Dilbar' girl swears by these 5 exercises for iconic curves and super-fit toned body. Inside the actor's workout routine
According to police, on January 31, she contacted Sanjay and finalised the plan and that evening, Sanjay arrived with his aides and hid inthe bushes, police said. When Anju took Ashish for his walk post dinner, she allegedly led him to a deserted stretch, kept him engaged in conversation, and then signalled the attackers.
According to police, the men attacked Ashish on the head with sticks and left him unconscious but after finding out he was still alive, the men allegedly strangled him and fled from the spot. Police said Anju handed over Ashish's mobile phone and the earrings she was wearing to the accused before sending them away and then informed her in-laws that Ashish had died in a road accident.
Hit-and-run story collapsed under forensic evidence
According to police, they got suspicious as Anju kept changing her statement and contradicting the sequence of events. An attempt to portray the murder as a 'hit-and-run' case collapsed under forensic evidence and on-ground scrutiny. Police said Anju's claim that Ashish was hit by a vehicle drew immediate doubt as the spot "did not support a vehicular impact" and investigators found no strong evidence consistent with a hit-and-run.During questioning, police said Anju repeatedly changed her statements, faltered on key details, and claimed she lost consciousness several times. SP Amrita Duhan added that Anju also alleged unknown assailants robbed her jewellery after the accident, a claim that further contradicted the accident narrative. The post-mortem report noted multiple injuries and signs of strangulation, leading police to treat the death as a homicide.
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Similarities with Meghalaya honeymoon case
Raja Raghuvanshi and his newlywed, Sonam, boarded a flight to Meghalaya for their honeymoon days after their marriage in May. Twelve days later, he was dead, and his body was found in the wilderness of Meghalaya. According to police, Sonam, along with her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha — a former employee at her family business — conspired to kill Raja during their honeymoon and stage it as an accident. Investigators say three hired assailants attacked Raja with machetes near Wei Sawdong Falls while Sonam was present. His body was later thrown into a gorge, and his phone was switched off.(With TOI inputs)
