Forbidden affair, brutal murder: Kanpur killing mirrors chilling Meerut case

Kanpur: A spine-chilling murder in Kanpur has revealed a tangled web of infidelity, deception, and calculated violence. The murder of 35-year-old Dharmendra Pasi, a resident of Laxmankheda village, was not the result of local rivalry, as first suspected, but a cold-blooded plot hatched by his wife and nephew.

On May 10, Dharmendra’s wife, Reena allegedly drugged his food with sleeping pills, waiting for him to pass out. Once unconscious, she and her nephew-turned-lover Satish smashed his head using a heavy wooden door frame. The only person in the house at the time was Dharmendra’s elderly, hearing-impaired mother, who remained unaware of the gruesome act.

A chilling cover-up

The killers attempted to stage the crime scene, placing Dharmendra’s body outside the house. But blood stains in the courtyard and bathroom, found by forensic teams and sniffer dogs, hinted at a different truth—that the murder happened inside.

Adding to the deceit, Reena and Satish initially accused three unrelated men, hoping to divert the investigation by linking the crime to an earlier fight Dharmendra had with some locals. But the police weren’t convinced.

Clues in their call logs

The truth began to unravel when investigators examined the call details of Reena and Satish, revealing long conversations and an illicit relationship. Explicit photos found on their phones confirmed the affair. Confronted with the evidence, Reena confessed, reported NDTV.

“The victim (Dharmendra) had come to know about their relationship and had fought over it with his wife. After that, it emerged that they had conspired to kill him,” said Additional DCP Mahesh Kumar.

Echoes of the Meerut case

The murder bears striking similarities to the Meerut case in March, where a Merchant Navy officer was killed by his wife and her lover. His body was cut into 15 pieces, stuffed in a drum, and sealed with cement. The accused fled for a vacation after the crime, which was uncovered only when labourers failed to lift the drum.

Cases and arrests

Both Reena and Satish have been arrested and charged under sections related to murder, criminal conspiracy, and destruction of evidence. Police are continuing the probe to determine whether any other accomplices helped cover up the crime.