What was first thought to be a fatal heart attack during Navratri pooja has now uncovered a spine-chilling murder in Uttar Pradesh’s Bijnor. Deepak Kumar, a 29-year-old railway technician, died at his residence while participating in a religious ritual on Friday. His wife Shivani informed the family that he had met his death due to a heart attack, The Times of India (TOI) reported.
Thinking it to be a natural demise, Deepak’s family proceeded with preparations for his last rites without any apprehension. Still, as he was a government official, they wanted an autopsy to be carried out before his cremation.
Postmortem reveals foul play
The postmortem report turned the whole story on its head — Deepak hadn’t died of a heart attack but was strangulated. Authorities then moved into action. On Sunday, police arrested his 27-year-old wife, Shivani, on charges of allegedly killing him with the help of an unidentified accomplice.
Bijnor SP (City) Sanjeev Vajpayee told TOI, “A case has been registered against Shivani and an unknown person, and legal action will be taken based on the evidence.”
Family suspects motive: Husband’s job
According to Deepak’s family, the suspected motive behind the murder was Shivani’s alleged desire to secure his government job with the railways after his death.
Deepak’s mother Pushpa told the police, “She killed him with someone’s help to get his job.” His brother Piyush also said, “She even used to beat her mother-in-law.” The family said there were tensions between Shivani and her in-laws which were long-standing.
Marriage, service, and recent life
Deepak, a resident of Mukrandpur village in Bijnor, married Shivani on June 17, 2023. The couple stayed in a rented accommodation in Adarsh Nagar colony in Najibabad and had a six-month-old baby boy.
Prior to becoming part of the Indian Railways in March 2023, Deepak worked with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and was posted in Manipur. Becoming a government employee with the railways was a crucial period of stability for the young family.
Ongoing investigation
Police are also investigating the accomplice who is not yet identified but is suspected to have assisted Shivani in committing the murder. The authorities are collecting more evidence to piece together the entire chain of events that resulted in Deepak’s death. The locals are shocked by the incident, particularly its timing during a religious festival.