Shraddha Walkar murder: Former coworker recounts mistreatment
What's the story
More horrifying details are emerging in the murder case of Shraddha Walkar in Delhi as more individuals speak out in the aftermath of the crime.
According to NDTV, Walkar's former coworker reported that she had suffered domestic violence at the hands of her live-in partner, Aftab Ameen Poonawala, much before the murder.
He expressed his shock and heartbreak at seeing her bruises.
Context
Why does this story matter?
Walkar's gruesome murder shook the country as her live-in partner Poonawalla confessed to strangling her, chopping her body into 35 pieces, and disposing of it across Delhi.
The couple had met years ago while working at a Mumbai call center.
After a few years of their relationship, they moved to Delhi as the deceased's parents disapproved of it.
Statement
'Was shattered seeing her bruises', says Walkar's former team manager
"November 2020 was the first time I came to know of the domestic abuse. She used to call in sick often before that," NDTV quoted her former team manager, Karan, as saying.
"I was very shattered and heartbroken to see how someone could manhandle her so badly. She had bruises under her right eye...also on her neck," he said.
Details
'Walkar withdrew police complaint after blackmailed by Poonawalla'
Karan offered to help Walkar leave the abusive situation, but Poonawalla would blackmail her, preventing her from pursuing a complaint.
Poonawalla's parents, he said, had also guaranteed her that she would not experience harassment again.
She had filed a police complaint, but Aftab threatened to harm himself if she left, Karan claimed, prompting her to withdraw it.
Information
Former colleagues were unaware about her fresh relation
Everyone was unaware of Walkar's relocation to Delhi and ongoing relationship with Poonawalla as she had only told them about her new job, Karan claimed.
"I was very happy that she had all the time in the world to make her career," he said.
On the other hand, he became aware of the situation after hearing about her murder on the news.
Quote
'We thought he was no longer with her': Karan
"I was following up every week or two weeks to make sure she was safe, to make sure she was not going through the same thing again. We were under the impression that he was no longer with her," Karan said.
Background
Horrific murder that saw daylight after 5 months
On Saturday (November 12), the Delhi Police arrested Poonawalla for his live-in partner Shraddha Walkar's murder on May 18.
Walkar and Poonawalla, natives of Maharashtra, reportedly met via a dating app in 2019 while working in Mumbai. They moved to Delhi earlier this year.
Poonawalla, who is under police custody, has said he killed her after a fight over domestic issues between them escalated.
Nabbed
How was he caught?
Walkar's family filed a missing report in Maharashtra in May. When the police contacted Poonawalla, he said he wasn't in contact with her.
Later, when the Delhi Police began probing the case, he said that Walkar had left the house on May 22.
However, police traced the location of a transaction from Walkar's bank account and activity from her Instagram to Chhatarpur.
Order
Delhi court allows narco test on Poonawalla
Poonawalla is currently in police custody, and police are gathering crucial evidence, including identifying body parts, the crime weapon, their clothes from the day of the murder, and Walkar's phone.
Meanwhile, the Delhi court has granted permission to police to conduct narco-analysis, a chemical-based lie-detection test that could lead to material evidence and corroborate his alleged confession.