A young man’s body was discovered in a blue drum in Adarsh Colony, situated in the Khairthal-Tijara region of Alwar district, Rajasthan. This is reminiscent of the infamous Meerut case, where a woman and her lover conspired to murder her husband and stored his corpse in a similar drum. The recent incident was revealed on 17th August when Mithlesh Devi (60) went to the terrace. Her 35-year-old son Jitendra is also an accused in the case.
The deceased, Hansram alias Suraj, who was about 30 years old, originally hailed from Uttar Pradesh and had moved in with his family into a rented home around one and a half months prior. He was employed as a laborer at a local brick kiln. He stayed in Adarsh Colony of Kishangarh Bas with his spouse Lakshmi Devi alias Sunita and their three children who have been missing since 16th August along with Jitnedra.
“Seven to eight days ago, she visited me and requested a blue drum. She claimed that water would be coming in three days and she needed it for storage. I had several drums available in my house so I gave one to her. I was completely unaware that a murder conspiracy was being plotted in my home,” Mithlesh Devi disclosed, reported Dainik Bhaskar.
According to Deputy Superintendent of Police Rajendra Singh Nirvan, the remains of Hansram known as Suraj from Navadiya Nawazpur in the Shahjahanpur district of Uttar Pradesh have been found. On 17th August, Mithlesh Devi, the wife of Rajesh Sharma who is the homeowner, called the police when a foul odor was detected from the roof. The authorities spotted a blue drum on the roof upon their arrival and the body was uncovered inside it. Hansram’s throat had been slashed with a sharp weapon, according to the post-mortem report.
The initial investigation disclosed that salt and a certain amount of water were placed in the drum to dissolve the body. The victim was known to be an alcoholic, having shared many drinking sessions with Jitendra whose wife had already passed away.
Background of the case
Mithlesh Devi stated, “We had our own brick kiln in Pur village in Kotkasim town which is 27 kilimetre from the Khairthal-Tijara district. My husband managed the kiln, but it has been closed for many years. There were numerous drums used for water storage and we kept 10-15 at our residence after it shut down. Sunita wanted one and I handed it over without knowing her intentions.”
She further conveyed, “My son and Suraj were employed at a brick kiln located in Bhindusi village, approximately 35 kilometers from Khairthal-Tijara. Jitendra served as the accountant while he and his wife worked as laborers. The two men shared a friendship. They often enjoyed meals and drinks together and occasionally consumed alcohol.”
“The brick kiln’s operations were interrupted by rain in June. Therefore, my son invited them to stay at the house as tenants. They resided in a room on the roof and payed a rent of Rs 1500 per month,” the woman added. She mentioned that Sunita would often express her concerns about her husband’s alcohol addiction and complained that he had destroyed everything.
Afterward, the former told them to leave their house and the family was on the verge of vacating it, however, the shocking instance transpired prior to that.
The police’s disclosures
According to police sources, Jitendra brought the family to his residence for rent one and a half months ago. He lied to his father about their names. He referred to Hansram as Suraj and his wife Laksmi as Sunita. During the investigation, the police recovered Hansram’s Aadhaar Card which unveiled the truth.
As per police accounts, Jitendra and Laksmi were engaged in an affair during their time at the brick kiln. He gained Hansram’s friendship using alcohol. The two often drank together in the evenings. This allowed Jitendra to meet Lakshmi without any obstacles. When work at the kiln ceased, Hansram began preparations to return to Uttar Pradesh. However, Jitendra convinced Lakshmi to rent a room in his home to keep her close. He promised Hansram that he would find him another job shortly, but in reality, he was plotting to dispose of him.
Nirvana reported that Mithlesh Devi and her 14-year-old grandson were found inside the house. She indicated that Jitendra’s wife had died 12 years ago. Rajesh Sharma, works as a property dealer and comes home every 2 to 3 days. On 16th August, she went to the market for Janmashtami shopping and did not find Sunita or her children when she returned. Jitendra had also not come back by evening. She approched the police after noticing the revolting smell.
The authorities have initiated a search for Jitendra and Lakshmi. Four specialized teams have been established to probe the case, conducting raids across various locations in Rajasthan, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh. Nirvana highlighted that preliminary findings suggested this case might involve a love affair. “We are exploring multiple other angles and the arrest of the suspects is anticipated soon which will expose everything.” he assured.
Lakshmi’s kids could also be involved in the killing. The drums also questioned the drums manufacturing companies since it appeared to be in pristine condition. Although no arrests have been made so far, police sources declared that they are in the process of tracking the locations of the perpetrators.