Man kills wife, hides body for 48 hours before surrendering

NEW DELHI: A 27-year-old old man murdered his wife and locked her body in the house for almost 48 hours before surrendering himself before the police in northeast Delhi’s Khajoori Khas, police said on Wednesday.

During the 48 hours, police said, the man made two attempts to commit suicide on railway tracks and spent an entire day at a local temple where he apologised for his sin before god. He finally surrendered at the police station on Wednesday morning and guided the police to the crime spot.

The accused has been identified as Laxman Gupta, a native of Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. Police said Gupta was enraged with his wife because she had been threatening to implicate him in a false dowry and domestic violence case. She had also been allegedly pressuring him to pay `70 lakh to her.

The police, however, suspect Gupta might be trying to mislead the investigation by making such allegations.

The woman, identified as Suman, had shifted to their rented accommodation in west Karawal Nagar on Sunday only. Gupta’s interrogation revealed that he had a fight with his wife on Monday afternoon over the same issue.

“The couple had a fight and in a fit of rage Gupta strangled his wife to death. He locked his wife in the room and went to the railway station to commit suicide but could not muster courage to take the extreme step. He made another failed suicide attempt before reaching a local temple,” said the officer.

Gupta stayed at the temple for the entire day. On Wednesday morning, he reached the police station and confessed his crime. At his instance, Suman’s body was recovered and sent to GTB hospital for autopsy.

A case of murder has been registered at the Khajoori Khas police station against Gupta and he has been arrested. Gupta works at a factory in northeast Delhi. The couple was married four years ago but did not have a child. The police informed Suman’s parents about the crime.