Pregnant woman's body found in suitcase father gifted on wedding
In a horrific incident, body of 23-year-old Mala was found stuffed in a suitcase in Indirapuram along NH-24 on Wednesday. On April 7, Mala's husband Shivam lodged a missing person complaint at Bisrakh police station. Shivam was detained by police after Mala's parents alleged he killed their five-month-pregnant daughter for not bringing enough dowry. They married last year in November, reportedly against Shivam's family's wishes.
Limbs twisted to fit body in suitcase, say police
Mala's body was twisted to fit inside the suitcase meant for 15 pair of jeans, which her father gifted on the wedding, said police. A case has been filed against Shivam's parents, two brothers under Sections 498A (cruelty), 304B (dowry death), 201 (causing disappearance of evidence), 316 (causing death of unborn child) of the IPC and Sections 3&4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act, 1961.
Mala could have been strangled with towel, suspect police
The police said Mala might have been strangled to death with a towel. Arvind Sharma, the local police outpost in-charge said, "We learnt about the suitcase through an anonymous call on Tuesday evening. The body appeared to be at least two to three days old."
Shivam informed Maya's parents about her gone missing
At around 10 PM on April 7, Shivam informed Mala's family that she was missing. He said when he returned from home, he found the door locked, the almirah broken sans the valuables. Mala's father Ram Avtar said she was abused by her in-laws in the past. The couple stayed in rented accommodation in Haibatpur, after a number of arguments with Shivam's family.
Shivam pleads not guilty, police continue investigation
Shivam said, "I had filed a missing complaint on Saturday evening when I found my wife missing. Some other people are involved in this murder, not me." The police are awaiting post-mortem report and are probing all angles in the case.
