Delhi: Murder case solved within 16 hours, husband arrested for killing wife

September 16, 2026

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Wednesday have claimed to have solved a murder case within 16 hours with the arrest of a 24-year-old man for allegedly killing his wife following an altercation arising out of strained marital relations and frequent quarrels.

According to police, the case was registered at Anand Parbat police station under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

On September 14, police received information regarding a suspected murder at Punjabi Basti in Baljeet Nagar, Anand Parbat. The police reached the spot, where a 32-year-old woman was found dead inside a room.

During the preliminary inquiry, police learned that the deceased was living in the room with her husband, two minor daughters and her mother.

The deceased’s elder daughter, aged around 10, told police that she woke up at around 3:45-4 a.m. and saw her father near her mother, checking her breathing. She said her father then left the house. After some time, she noticed that her mother was not responding.

On examining the body, police found no apparent external injuries, except nail-like marks on the left side of the neck. The Crime Team and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team inspected the crime scene and documented it through photographs.

The woman was shifted to Lady Hardinge Medical College (LHMC) Hospital, where she was declared brought dead. Her body was preserved for postmortem examination.

Police said the circumstances of the incident and the statement of the minor daughter raised suspicion about the involvement of the deceased’s husband. Accordingly, FIR No. 517/2026 was registered on September 15 and an investigation was launched.

The postmortem examination was conducted at the LHMC mortuary, following which the body was handed over to the family members.

Considering the gravity of the offence and the possibility of the accused escaping, the police team launched a search operation.

Through technical investigation, corroboration of available information and local intelligence, the team traced and apprehended the accused, identified as Chandrapal Bhati, a resident of Wair in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh, within 16 hours of the incident.

During interrogation, the accused allegedly disclosed his involvement in the crime. Police said he stated that he and his wife frequently quarrelled and that their marital relationship had remained strained.

The accused allegedly further disclosed that he strangled his wife to death following an altercation arising from their strained marital relations and frequent quarrels.

Police said no previous involvement of the accused has come to notice so far.