In a crime that sends shivers down the spine and bears a haunting resemblance to the infamous Meerut "blue drum" murder, police in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district have uncovered a gruesome case of betrayal and brutality. A 32-year-old shoe trader was allegedly murdered by his wife and her lover, who then meticulously chopped his body into pieces and scattered them across multiple locations.
A Grisly Discovery and a Missing Complaint
The case came to light when, on December 15, police discovered a human torso with its hands and legs missing. Shortly after, a polythene packet containing a severed head was found in a drain. During examination, investigators noted the name ‘Rahul' inked on the chest of the torso. This grim find connected to a missing complaint filed earlier by Ruby (30), a housewife, at the Chandausi police station on November 18. She had reported that her husband, Rahul Kumar, had gone missing.
Sambhal Superintendent of Police Krishan Kant Bishnoi stated that when Ruby was called for the identification of the recovered body parts, she refused and subsequently disappeared, which immediately raised police suspicion. Upon being called in for questioning, she broke down and confessed to the horrific crime.
The Night of the Murder and a Chilling Confession
According to Ruby's confession, the trigger was a moment of shocking discovery. On the night of November 17, Rahul Kumar caught his wife and her lover, Gaurav Kumar—a neighbour—in a compromising position inside their house. Enraged, Rahul began assaulting the duo and threatened to defame Ruby and throw her out of their home.
"At that moment, I told Gaurav to finish him off," Ruby told the police. Gaurav then struck Rahul on the head with an iron rod, while Ruby herself hit him with a metal shoe-hammer, killing him on the spot.
Systematic Disposal Echoes Meerut Horror
The following day, the pair embarked on a gruesome cover-up that chillingly mirrored the modus operandi of the Meerut case. They acquired a grinder tool and used it to dismember Rahul's body. They severed his head, hands, and legs. The body parts were then placed into bags.
"On the same day, we hired a vehicle and dumped one bag containing the severed head and legs, along with Rahul's mobile phone, into the Ganga at Rajghat," Ruby revealed. Later that night, they disposed of another bag in a drain near the idgah on Patraua Road. They burned Rahul's lower garment and their own blood-stained clothes, and hid the grinder tool in nearby bushes.
This methodical dismemberment and disposal are starkly similar to the March 4 "blue drum murder" in Meerut, where a woman named Muskan and her lover Sahil killed ex-merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput, cut his body into pieces, sealed the remains in a drum with cement, and then went on a holiday.
SP Bishnoi added that the couple had been married for 12 years and have an 11-year-old son. The son informed the police that his parents frequently fought over a man who visited their house often.
The accused, Ruby and Gaurav Kumar, were arrested on Monday. An FIR has been registered under BNS sections 103 (murder), 238 (causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information), and 61 (Criminal Conspiracy). The investigation continues as police work to fully piece together the timeline of this brutal crime.
