The decomposing body of a 35-year-old woman was discovered stuffed inside a bed box at a house in Delhi’s Shahdara on Friday evening, police said. The owner of the house, a 55-year-old tuition teacher, was apprehended in connection with the murder.
Initial investigations into the murder suggest the woman was killed at least three days ago, according to an investigating officer familiar with the case. Police have not yet revealed identity the victim’s identity.
Police have apprehended the owner of the house – Vivekanand Mishra – in connection with the murder.
The matter came to light on Friday evening when members of the resident welfare association (RWAs) at Satyam Enclave in east Delhi’s Vivek Vihar alerted the police after noticing a foul smell coming from the house.
According to investigators, who asked not to be identified, Mishra had been living alone since his separation with his wife, who moved out with their daughter. Police did not share when and where did they move.
Police suspect he knew the victim’s husband well, as the latter “frequently” visited the flat. They are also probing whether Mishra and the victim’s husband were involved in a personal dispute or were in a relationship, according to a second investigator familiar with the probe.
The woman reportedly came to Delhi from an unknown place, on Monday or Tuesday, and went missing soon after. Police are still investigating when she arrived at Mishra’s house.
Around noon on Friday, neighbours questioned Mishra about the smell, to which he reportedly replied that some rats had died and that he had called pest control.
By around 5.30pm, when the odour had worsened, residents informed the RWA, which then called the police.
Deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said a police control room (PCR) call was received in the evening.
“The caller said smell is coming out from an apartment at DDA Flats, Satyam Enclave, Delhi. A team was rushed to the spot. At the spot, the house was found locked from outside and some blood was found coming out from the back door. We opened the door and a decomposed dead body of a lady, who is around 35 years old, was found. The body was kept in a bag and wrapped in a blanket. The body was placed inside a bed box and covered with other material,” DCP Gautam said.
A forensic team was called to collect evidence, which immediately analysed the body. “We don’t know if the woman was strangled or stabbed. It has been confirmed that the woman was married. Also, it looks like she was murdered three days back. As per our preliminary inquiry, it is suspected that the woman’s husband and Mishra are either acquaintances or friends. The motive behind the murder is not known,” said a police officer who asked not to be named.
After the body was recovered, Mishra was found roaming near the house and was taken into custody. During questioning, he allegedly gave inconsistent statements, initially claiming he didn’t live there and that it was only a tuition centre. Later, he admitted knowing the victim’s husband but denied any knowledge of the woman.
“We are trying to gather proof and will take further legal action. We are also looking for Mishra’s friends and the woman’s husband and family members.” added the officer.
Police are now tracing Mishra’s associates, as well as the woman’s husband and family members, to establish the sequence of events leading to the murder.
Leave a Reply