A Nightly Routine Becomes a Deadly Trap in Sri Ganganagar
What began as a simple, habitual post-dinner stroll for a newlywed couple in Rajasthan's Sri Ganganagar district culminated in a chilling, premeditated murder, executed with cold precision barely three months after their wedding. On the fateful evening of January 30, 27-year-old Ashish Kumar stepped out of his home with his wife, Anjali, for what was their regular nightly walk—a practice the pair followed consistently. Tragically, Ashish would never return alive.
The Brutal Ambush on a Deserted Village Stretch
As the couple walked along a secluded stretch near their village, Anjali allegedly sent a pre-arranged signal. Hidden in nearby bushes were her long-time boyfriend, Sanjay, accompanied by his two friends, Rohit and Siddharth. Moments later, the three men allegedly ambushed Ashish, raining blows upon him with sticks. When he failed to lose consciousness immediately, they proceeded to strangle him with a muffler, ensuring his death, according to police reports.
To craft the appearance of a robbery gone awry, Anjali allegedly handed over Ashish's mobile phone and her own earrings to the attackers. She then lay near the spot, feigning unconsciousness. Police rushed the couple to the Rawla Community Health Centre after receiving information around 9 pm, but doctors declared Ashish dead upon arrival.
A Marriage She Never Desired: The Motive Behind the Murder
Investigators later uncovered that Anjali had been in a relationship with Sanjay for six to seven years, a fact well-known to her family. Despite this, she was married to Ashish in an arranged match on October 30 last year. Police revealed that she remained deeply unhappy following the wedding and expressed a desire to pursue an MA degree in Sri Ganganagar, allegedly to remain close to Sanjay. Her husband's opposition to this plan only deepened her resentment.
According to investigators, Anjali shared her frustrations with Sanjay, and 16 days prior to the murder, the two met at her parental home in Sadulshahar, where they allegedly finalized the sinister plan to eliminate Ashish.
Clues That Shattered the Deception
Initially treated as a case of robbery and murder, the investigation began to unravel during rigorous questioning. Call detail records, glaring inconsistencies in Anjali's version of events, and the post-mortem report raised significant red flags. Police noted that Ashish had commenced work as a private school teacher merely three days before his untimely death. All four accused—Anjali, Sanjay, Rohit, and Siddharth—were arrested on Tuesday.
Reacting to the arrest, Anjali's uncle, Ravi, expressed the family's devastation. "If we had known a child from our family would turn out like this, we would never have allowed the marriage," he stated, demanding the harshest possible punishment for the perpetrators.
What police now describe as a cold, calculated conspiracy was carried out under the guise of an everyday routine—a nightly walk that Ashish trusted would always bring him home safely, now forever etched as a tragic tale of betrayal and murder in Rajasthan.
