Indian Police Solve Murder Within 12 Hours After Body Found in Trunk
Indian police in Uttar Pradesh solved a murder within 12 hours after a man's body was found in an iron trunk by a highway, arresting his wife and accomplices.
Police in the Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh, India, announced they solved the murder of a man whose body was found hidden inside an iron trunk abandoned by a highway within roughly 12 hours. The rapid investigation led to the arrest of the victim's wife and two other suspects after surveillance cameras captured a small commercial vehicle carrying the trunk to the area and leaving without it.
Swift Investigation and Breakthrough
According to reports, police were called late at night to the Rae Bareli-Unnao highway near a medical center following reports of a suspicious iron trunk. Upon opening the box, officers discovered a man's body wrapped in bedsheets. The victim was identified as Sonu, whose brother had previously filed a missing person complaint. Five separate investigative teams were deployed, utilizing local police, a SWAT unit, and surveillance squads.
The vehicle arrived with a metal trunk and departed without the cargo, providing the crucial clue that allowed investigators to trace the route.
Investigators focused on CCTV footage and automated license plate recognition systems along the highway. They tracked a small commercial vehicle, known locally as a 'Chhota Hathi' or 'little elephant,' bearing a specific registration number. Tracing the vehicle led them to the owner, who stated that a woman had hired his services to transport items under the pretext of moving between rooms.
Arrests and Confession
This information led authorities to Neha Rawat, the victim's wife. During interrogation, Rawat confessed that she and a neighbor, Jitendra, also known as Rahul, attacked Sonu following frequent domestic disputes fueled by alcohol consumption. According to police, the suspects struck the victim with a heavy grinding stone and strangled him before concealing the body in the iron trunk.
Police arrested Rawat and two men, while a minor was taken into custody in accordance with legal procedures for juveniles. Authorities seized the iron trunk, the heavy grinding roller used in the assault, and the commercial vehicle used for transport, as investigators finalize the case details.
