LUCKNOW: In a grim incident reminiscent of the Meghalaya honeymoon murder, a woman from Uttar Pradesh’s Siddharthnagar district has been arrested for killing her husband with the help of her younger lover and dumping his body into the Rapti river.
The accused, 35-year-old Sangeeta Devi, had been married to Kannan Kumar (48) for 18 years. The couple had a 12-year-old son. According to police, Sangeeta administered poisoned prasad to her husband while returning from a temple visit. Later, with the assistance of her 27-year-old lover Anil Shukla alias Vivek, she pushed the unconscious Kannan off a 25-foot-high bridge into the Rapti river near Kodari in Balrampur on June 2.
Following the murder, Sangeeta attempted to cover up the crime by filing a missing person report at Dhebarua police station on June 5. In the interim, she spent three days travelling with Anil. However, inconsistencies in her statements raised suspicions.
Upon tracing her mobile phone’s location, investigators found it had been in the same location as Kannan on June 2. Confronted with this evidence, Sangeeta broke down and confessed, revealing Anil’s involvement in the murder.
The couple’s 12-year-old son also provided a telling statement to the police, saying, “Papa went out with mummy and Anil uncle, but only mummy came back.”
Kannan’s brother, Babu Lal, had also raised an alarm with authorities, suspecting foul play due to long-standing tensions in the couple’s marriage. His complaint, citing suspicions against Sangeeta, was instrumental in advancing the investigation.
On June 10, Kannan’s body was recovered from the Rapti river, approximately 1.5 km downstream. It had decomposed to a skeletal state, but was identified through his clothing. Based on Babu Lal’s complaint and Sangeeta’s confession, police arrested both her and Anil.
Circle Officer Sujeet Rai of Shohratgarh, who supervised the investigation, revealed that Sangeeta met Anil five years ago during a train journey. The relationship gradually evolved into a full-blown affair. Despite Kannan’s suspicions and confrontations, Sangeeta maintained that Anil was just a friend.
However, police say the couple meticulously plotted the murder. During interrogation, Sangeeta confessed: “We fed him poison during our visit to the Vibhuti Nath temple in Shravasti. While returning, we stopped at the Kodari bridge and threw him into the river.”
Local sources noted that Kannan had brought Sangeeta home 18 years ago after a love marriage. He was known in the area for earning his livelihood through fish farming.
Officer Rai confirmed the murder was premeditated and said Sangeeta attempted to mislead investigators but eventually broke down during questioning. Both she and Anil have been booked for murder and remanded to judicial custody.
