Body recovered after 17 days; accused, two accomplices held

A 21-year-old man allegedly killed his wife over “petty fights” and dumped her body in Panipat, Haryana, the police said on Wednesday.

“We have recovered the body of the victim [Nancy, 20] in a semi-decomposed state, 17 days after she went missing from her husband’s house,” said a police officer.

Nancy’s husband, Sahil Chopra (21), a secondhand car dealer, and his employee, Shubham (24), were arrested from Delhi while the third accused, Badal, (26), a cousin of Shubham, was arrested from his village in Karnal, the police said.

During interrogation, Mr. Chopra allegedly disclosed that he was fed up with daily fights with Nancy after their marriage in March. Before that, the couple was in a live-in relationship for three months, the police said.

Nancy’s father lodged a missing complaint with the police on Tuesday. He said Nancy’s mobile phone was switched off since November 11. A case was registered at Janakpuri police station and a probe was initiated. Call data records (CDR) were analysed and Mr. Chopra were arrested in connection with case, said the police officer.

Mr. Chopra allegedly broke down and confessed to the crime. He took the police to a village near Panipat refinery where Nancy’s body was recovered from roadside bushes. Mr. Chopra claimed that he shot Nancy in the head with the the help of the co-accused. Later, postmortem report also confirmed bullet injury on the head, the officer said.

The three accused were produced in Dwarka court which remanded them in police custody for two days. Nancy’s father has also alleged “torture for dowry” by Mr. Chopra’s family in his complaint.