The prime suspect in the alleged rape and murder of a 21-year-old woman in Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh, reportedly secured a ₹40,000 bank loan to hire two individuals and finance the crime. Identified as Ashish, the accused had allegedly been coercing the woman into marriage. The crime took place in Bavana village, located in the Budhana area of the district. Authorities revealed that Ashish, along with his accomplices Shubham and Deepak, lured the victim away, sexually assaulted her, and later strangled her. In an effort to erase evidence, they burned her body.
While police have arrested Ashish, the other two suspects remain at large. According to law enforcement officials, Ashish has admitted to committing the crime. Muzaffarnagar SP (rural) Aditya Bansal stated that the victim was last spotted on January 21, reportedly riding a scooter with her brother-in-law, as per a Times of India report.
“The main accused was in an illicit relationship with her for two years. He told the cops that the woman was blackmailing him with some private photos and videos of them together,” Bansal was quoted as saying by Times of India. “Afraid of getting exposed, he plotted with his two associates. He took a ₹40,000 loan from a bank – paid the men ₹10,000 in advance and promised ₹20,000 after the crime.”
The officer further mentioned that the perpetrators first gang-raped the woman, strangled her with her scarf, and then set her body ablaze to remove any evidence. “The fact that her undergarments were found intact while the other clothes were burned raised suspicion of sexual assault. Two condom packets were also found,” he added.