NEW DELHI: Mohammed Jamshed Alam was just 18 when he got married to Ismat Parveen in the year 2000. Six years later, the couple had a son and continued living happily. However, in 2009 the marriage turned bitter after Alam developed a liking for another woman, Zabeena.

Initially, Parveen opposed their relationship, but Alam insisted on marrying Zabeena as per Islamic rituals. She eventually gave in and Alam brought Zabeena home in

’s

.

Over the next few years, the two wives learnt to coexist in the same house. In 2016, Alam decided to shift to Delhi in search of a better life. They rented a house in southeast Delhi’s Jaitpur. However, contrary to his expectations, things started going downhill. The two women started fighting, mainly over finances. Though Alam managed to get odd jobs, he could barely earn enough to keep the family afloat.

Miffed with his low income, Alam’s wives often taunted and fought with him. Fed up with the everyday fights, Alam sought a divorce from them last year, but they didn’t agree to it. Zabeena also accused Alam of not being able to give her a child. Finally, Alam decided to kill them and live “peacefully”.

After reading newspaper reports and watching crime videos online, Alam planned to convince one of them to help him get rid of the other wife and then kill her too. He approached Zabeena and sought her help in killing Parveen. She allegedly readily agreed to the plan. On June 26, the trio had dinner and soon a fight ensued. Alam strangled Parveen with a chunni. He then caught Zabeena unawares and throttled her as well before fleeing the house with his son.

On June 27, the PCR received a call at 11am from neighbours about a foul smell emanating from the house. A team led by DCP (southeast) Chinmoy Biswal reached the spot and broke open the locked door. “The team found two bodies. A special team comprising ACP Gursewak Singh Dhillon and others was formed to investigate the case,” said Devesh Shrivastava, joint commissioner, southern range.

Since Alam was missing, he became the prime suspect. Police scanned CCTV footage of the area and spotted him leaving the house carrying a heavy bag along with his minor son. A team was sent to

and surveillance was mounted on his relatives as well. On June 1, police got a breakthrough after Alam called a relative in Bara

Rao area asking to meet him. He was subsequently arrested.