The accused, identified as Arjun, a labourer who works in Ludhiana, was arrested after confessing to the murder of his wife, Khushboo, following days of misleading statements to both his family and investigators. Police say the crime occurred on December 21, when Arjun returned to his native village in Gorakhpur and found Khushboo using a mobile phone that she had allegedly kept hidden from him.
According to investigators, the discovery sparked a heated argument between the couple, who were alone at home that night. In a fit of rage, Arjun allegedly strangled Khushboo to death. He then dug a six-foot-deep pit behind their house and buried her body along with a folding cot, attempting to erase evidence of the crime.
In the days that followed, Arjun reportedly told family members that Khushboo had left the house without informing anyone. When repeated searches yielded no information about her whereabouts, suspicion grew within her family. Her father, suspecting foul play, filed a missing person’s complaint and alleged that his son-in-law may have killed her.
Police took Arjun into custody and began questioning him. During interrogation, he initially claimed that Khushboo had died by suicide, stating that she had hanged herself and that he had disposed of her body by throwing it into a nearby river. He even led officers to the riverbank outside the village, where police searched unsuccessfully for nearly two hours.
After the search failed, investigators intensified their questioning. Under further interrogation, Arjun eventually confessed to killing his wife and burying her body behind the house. Acting on his disclosure, police conducted an excavation at the spot he identified and recovered Khushboo’s body from the pit.
“The body was recovered based on the accused’s confession,” said Shilpa Kumari, Circle Officer, Gorakhpur, confirming the sequence of events.
Police said the murder was driven by suspicion of an illicit relationship, though no independent evidence has been disclosed to support that claim at this stage. Arjun and Khushboo had been married for two years and had no children.
Arjun has been arrested on the basis of a complaint filed by the victim’s younger brother. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination to determine the exact cause of death and to complete medico-legal formalities.
The case has sent shockwaves through the local community, underscoring the deadly consequences of domestic suspicion and control, as well as the lengths to which perpetrators may go to conceal violent crimes. Police officials said further investigation is ongoing to ensure all legal procedures are followed and accountability is established.
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