Hardoi shocker: 2 cops suspended after man shoots wife dead inside police station
A shocking Hardoi incident saw a man fatally shoot his wife inside Pali police station after she was recovered following an alleged elopement. Anoop murdered Soni in full view of police personnel, driven by her past relationship. The Hardoi Superintendent of Police suspended officers for negligence, and a departmental inquiry is underway. The killer has been arrested.
New Delhi: A chilling incident has been reported from Hardoi district where a 38-year-old man gunned down his wife inside a police station. The killing took place on Monday morning in full view of police personnel at Pali police station, located about 50 km from the district headquarters, The Times of India reported.
The victim has been identified as 30-year-old Soni. She had allegedly eloped with her lover five days back. Her husband, Anoop, filed a complaint. Following this, the police traced the woman and recovered her along with the alleged lover on Sunday.
After both were brought to the police station, Anoop was informed over the phone. Later, he reached the station in the evening. Anoop met his wife for a brief while, and left for home.
How it happened
Police said as part of the recovery procedure, a medical examination was to be carried on Soni on Monday. After she had food at the police station mess, she went outside and was talking to her maternal uncle and a few relatives around 10.45 am. Just then, Anoop arrived at the police station with a country-made pistol, which he hid in his waist.
He reportedly pulled out the pistol and fired at Soni from close range. The bullet hit the woman's right shoulder, pierced through her chest and exited from the other side. Soni collapsed on the spot, with blood all around. Anoop tried to escape, but the cops nabbed him within the station premises. He is now in police custody.
Soni was rushed to a nearby hospital, but she could not be saved. A post-mortem examination was carried out on her body. Superintendent of Police, Hardoi, Ashok Meena, has ordered suspension of the investigating officer, sub-inspector Vikrant, and woman constable Sanjana Rajput for negligence in duty. A departmental inquiry has also been ordered. The Additional Superintendent of Police (West) is probing the case.
What initial probe revealed
The initial investigation revealed that Anoop and Soni were married for almost 17 years. They had a 12-year-old son. Anoop told police that he had moved to Gurugram with his wife about four years ago after securing a job with a private firm.
While they stayed in Gurugram, Soni allegedly developed a relationship with Surjeet, a resident of Shahjahanpur, who often visited their home. Police said that Anoop brought his wife back to their native village about a year ago and began working as a daily-wage labourer, but Soni's alleged relationship with the man didn't end.
Anoop confessed that on January 7, Soni had left home with her lover, and he was forced to lodge a police complaint the next day. He said on Sunday evening, police informed him that his wife had been found. He later met her at the police station and returned home. However, he said he could not sleep the entire night and decided to kill her. On Monday morning, he was called to the police station again. He carried the pistol and shot Soni dead.
A murder case has been registered against Anoop.