A decomposed body of a 35-year-old man, Hansram alias Suraj, was discovered inside a blue drum on the rooftop of a house in Rajasthan’s Khairthal-Tijara district on Sunday, August 17. Hansram, originally from Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh, was living in Kishangarhbas with his wife and three children in a rented room. Authorities found a throat injury caused by a sharp weapon.

Police investigations revealed that Hansram’s wife, Sunita, allegedly killed him with the help of her lover, Jitendra, the son of their landlady. Both were arrested on Monday, August 18. According to initial reports, Sunita and Jitendra planned the murder to be together. The couple reportedly hid the body in a drum filled with salt, leaving the three children, Harshal, Nandini, and Golu, behind.

“The blue drum used to hide the body was borrowed by Sunita from Jitendra’s mother, Mithilesh, nearly a week before the crime,” police sources said, indicating premeditation.

Sunita and Hansram had moved into Jitendra’s house about a month and a half ago. Jitendra, widowed for over 12 years, quickly became friends with Hansram and Sunita. Over time, Sunita and Jitendra’s friendship turned into a romantic relationship, with both reportedly spending time together and drinking alcohol. They allegedly decided to murder Hansram so they could live together.

The crime took place during Janmashtami celebrations, when Jitendra’s mother and neighbors were at the temple. After returning, Mithilesh noticed silence in the house and became concerned. The next day, a foul smell from the rooftop led her to alert the police, who discovered Hansram’s body in the drum.

“Sunita had asked for the drum a week ago to store water. This shows the murder was planned in advance,” police said.

The three children are now under police protection. Authorities continue to investigate the case and are gathering evidence to determine the full circumstances of the murder.

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