Woman taken into custody in Pathanamthitta on suspicion of murdering missing husband

Pathanamthitta: Police suspect that the wife of a man who was reported missing a year and a half ago may have killed him and buried him secretly.

Afsana Saleem, the wife of the missing man, Naushad (36), a native of Kalanjoorpadam, was taken into police custody for further investigation.

Around a year and a half ago, Naushad had been staying with Afsana in a rented place in Adoor. However, he had been missing since November 5, 2021, following which Naushad's parents lodged a police complaint. The Koodal police registered an FIR based on the complaint and initiated an investigation.

During the course of the investigation, Afsana claimed to have met Naushad a month ago, but CCTV footage of the area contradicted her statement as there was no evidence of Naushad's presence. This led the police to suspect the veracity of Afsana's claims. After thorough questioning, the police inferred that Naushad was likely killed and his body hidden.

Following Afsana's statement, the police conducted searches near the cemetery of the place of worship near their residence, but they were unable to locate the burial site. Neighbours reported previous disputes between the couple.