A 25-year-old woman and her partner were arrested for allegedly poisoning and strangulating her husband with a rope that was then used to hang the body to make it look like suicide, police here said Friday.
According to officials, the incident occurred on April 13 when Kehr Singh's body was found hanging in a rented room with the door locked from inside.
Initially, it was suspected to be a case of suicide. However, the post-mortem report said he died due to strangulation, they said.
Additional Superintendent of Police (North) Mukesh Chandra Mishra said, "The post-mortem report clearly indicates death by strangulation, though the closed room suggested a suicide. We are investigating all possible angles and have taken both named accused -- Rekha and her lover Pintu (25) -- into custody." The couple was sent to jail after a medical examination on Friday.
Singh was working as a sanitation worker posted on contract with the Fatehganj Paschimi Nagar Panchayat in Bareilly.
Mishra said, "Suspecting poisoning, we have also preserved the victim's viscera for forensic testing. During questioning, Rekha initially avoided direct answers but later confessed to mixing poison in her husband's food. However, she denied strangling him or hanging the body, claiming her husband might have locked the room and taken his own life." Police said they are awaiting the viscera report to confirm the poisoning.
Meanwhile, a case of murder has been registered against Rekha and Pintu at the Fatehganj Paschimi police station based on a complaint filed by the victim's brother, Ashok.
In his complaint, Ashok alleged that his brother had learned about his wife's affair with Pintu. Following this, they conspired to kill his brother.
"They first gave him poison. When he became unconscious, they strangled him with a rope and then used the same rope to hang his body from the ceiling to make it look like suicide," the FIR stated.
The investigation is ongoing, and further action will depend on the forensic findings and statement corroboration, police said.