Meerut Murder: Muskan Partied With Lover Days After Husband`s Killing; Saurabh`s Family Claims Occult Practices Behind Crime-OxBig News Network

Meerut Murder: Fresh details have surfaced in the horrific murder case of a Merchant Navy officer, Saurabh Rajput, 29, who was murdered by his wife, Muskan, and her boyfriend, Sahil Shukla.

According to India Today TV accused Muska was seen enjoying the snowfall with her boyfriend and co-accused in Manali days after dumping her husband’s dismembered body in a drum. She also attended a Holi party and stayed in Kasol, where she celebrated her lover’s birthday. After murdering her husband, the Meerut woman and her boyfriend checked into Hotel Purnima in Kasol on March 10. The two stayed in Room 203 for six days and left on March 16.

Speaking to India Today TV, a staff member of the hotel in which the couple was staying said that they were in Manali before arriving in Kasol. The two had taken a taxi to the hotel in Kasol. The hotel staff added that the couple had behaved oddly since their arrival and had stepped out of their room only once a day for a short time.

Meanwhile, Saurabh Rajput’s family members claimed that occult practices were central to the chilling murder. Though police have not yet commented on the claims, Rajput’s mother, Renu Devi, said, “Both Muskaan and Sahil were into occult practices. They killed my son by performing tantric rituals,” as quoted by news agency PTI.

Rajput’s in-laws, Kavita and Pramod Rastogi alleged it was Sahil who held their daughter Muskan “captive” by making her believe in tantric rituals. He also kept Muskan isolated from her six-year-old daughter, they claimed.

Saurabh Rajput was allegedly drugged and then stabbed to death by his wife and her lover on March 4, his body dismembered and sealed inside a drum with cement. The duo then went on a vacation to Himachal Pradesh, all the while misleading Rajput’s family by sending them messages from his phone.

The matter was reported to police on March 18, following which Muskan and Sahil were arrested. “Sahil’s occult practices dominated Muskaan’s mind in such a way that she started keeping her six-year-old daughter away. Sahil had made Muskaan an addict and completely superstitious,” the deceased’s mother said.

Neighbours claimed Sahil frequently dressed in yellow and black kurtas with “Mahakal” inscriptions on them while sporting numerous tattoos of religious and mystical symbols. His room was filled with unsettling imagery, including sketches of ominous figures. “Many other scary images have also been found in Sahil’s room. He used to go out only to feed cats, and the lights in his room remained switched off most of the time,” a neighbour said.

What Did Muskan Tell Police?

Meanwhile, Muskan’s statements to police indicate that Sahil manipulated her into committing the murder, claiming it was necessary for their new life together. “Muskan has made it clear in her statements that Sahil had said that ‘you will have to kill Saurabh, only then we can start a new life’,” PTI reported, citing a police source.

“Sahil got Muskan to kill her husband. First, he made her sit on Saurabh’s chest. Then he brought a knife from the kitchen, showed her how to wield it, and directed her to insert the knife in Saurabh’s heart thrice. When Muskan could not bring herself to use the knife, Sahil held her hand and made her stab an unconscious Saurabh in the heart thrice,” PTI quoted the source as saying.

Asked about the claims about the alleged involvement of occult practices in the case, Superintendent of Police (City) Ayush Vikaram Singh replied, “All aspects of the case are being looked into.”

(With agency inputs)