A man from Delhi, Ashok Kumar, was arrested for allegedly murdering his wife, Meenakshi, in Prayagraj. He took her there under the pretext of attending the Maha Kumbh but had planned to kill her. The police confirmed that he slit her throat in the bathroom of a homestay in the Jhunsi area on the night of February 18.

How did the incident take place?

On the morning of February 19, Prayagraj Police received a report about a woman’s body being found in the bathroom of a homestay. The guesthouse was being used for Maha Kumbh pilgrims.

As the police started their investigation, they learnt that the couple had checked in the previous night without showing any ID. The manager of the homestay discovered the crime scene in the morning and immediately informed the authorities.

To identify the victim, police circulated her photo on social media and in newspapers. By February 21, Meenakshi’s relatives recognised her and contacted the police.

Her brother, Pravesh Kumar, along with her two sons, travelled to Prayagraj and confirmed her identity at the Jhunsi police station. The police then registered a case against Ashok and arrested him.

During interrogation, Ashok confessed to plotting the murder for three months. He admitted that he was having an extramarital affair and wanted to kill Meenakshi to continue his relationship.

To mislead his family, Ashok called his son Ashish and falsely claimed that Meenakshi had gone missing in the large Maha Kumbh crowd. However, Meenakshi’s other son, Ashwin, became suspicious and travelled with his family to search for her on February 20.

The police checked CCTV footage and forensic evidence to see if Ashok was telling the truth, but they found differences in his story. Their doubts increased when they saw a video on social media showing Ashok and Meenakshi taking a holy dip just one day before the murder.

As more evidence was found against him, the police arrested Ashok. He is now in custody, and the investigation is still going on.

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