Woman pins student down as husband kills him with scarf over bathing video blackmail
Lured to the couple's home, the 20-year-old was allegedly ambushed in a pre-planned attack. Police said the husband, who had pretended to leave for work, returned secretly, pinned the student down by sitting on his chest while his wife restrained his hands, before strangling him with a scarf and then a cable.
A 20-year-old college student was murdered by a couple in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district after he blackmailed the woman with a video of her bathing and coerced her into a sexual relationship, police said. Investigators alleged that the husband strangled him with a scarf and then a cable while the wife restrained him before the couple stuffed the body into a sack and fled.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim, Hardik, lived a short distance from the couple's house. About one-and-a-half to two months ago, he allegedly filmed the married woman while she was bathing.
Police said he then used the video to blackmail her into a sexual relationship. Fearing social disgrace, the woman allegedly gave in to his demands.
Her husband works as a fan repairman and wiring technician. The couple has three children. Despite this, Hardik allegedly continued to sexually exploit the woman through blackmail.
During this period, the husband caught his wife talking to Hardik on the phone, leading to an argument between the couple. The wife then told her husband what had happened.
Although the husband came to know about the alleged blackmail, the victim was unaware that his actions had been discovered.
Police said Hardik would continue to stare at the woman whenever he passed by the couple's house. Seeing his lack of remorse and fearless behaviour enraged the husband.
At one point, the couple considered informing Hardik's family about the alleged blackmail but decided against it, fearing damage to their own reputation.
According to the police, the husband then hatched a plan to kill Hardik, and his wife agreed to help.
As planned, the woman called Hardik and invited him to the house on the morning of July 11. Before Hardik arrived, the husband left the house on his motorcycle, pretending to go to work.
At around 9.10 am, Hardik called his father and said he was going to see a piece of land in Parbatpura. Instead, believing the husband was away, he went to the accused couple's house.
The couple's three children were at school at the time. Assuming the husband was out, Hardik allegedly entered the house, lay down, and began talking intimately with the woman.
At that moment, the husband allegedly sneaked into the house, sat on Hardik's chest before he could react, while the woman held his hands. The husband then allegedly strangled Hardik with his scarf. According to the police, Hardik died on the spot.
Police said the husband then strangled him again with a fan cable. The couple allegedly stuffed the body into a plastic sack, locked the house, and left on their motorcycle. They later picked up their three children from school, dropped them at the woman's father's house, and prepared to flee the city.
Kalol police said the victim's father, Rameshji Thakor, lodged a complaint, following which a post-mortem examination was conducted. The report stated that the cause of death was strangulation.
During the probe, police found that the victim had allegedly recorded the woman and used the video to blackmail her into sexual relations. However, the police said neither the woman nor her husband had ever seen the video that allegedly formed the basis of the blackmail.
After the murder, the husband allegedly smashed Hardik's mobile phone in a fit of rage and threw it away along the roadside. Police said they would seek the accused's remand to recover the missing phone.
Kalol Taluka police have registered a murder case and arrested the couple.
A 20-year-old college student was murdered by a couple in Gujarat's Gandhinagar district after he blackmailed the woman with a video of her bathing and coerced her into a sexual relationship, police said. Investigators alleged that the husband strangled him with a scarf and then a cable while the wife restrained him before the couple stuffed the body into a sack and fled.
Preliminary investigations revealed that the victim, Hardik, lived a short distance from the couple's house. About one-and-a-half to two months ago, he allegedly filmed the married woman while she was bathing.
Police said he then used the video to blackmail her into a sexual relationship. Fearing social disgrace, the woman allegedly gave in to his demands.
Her husband works as a fan repairman and wiring technician. The couple has three children. Despite this, Hardik allegedly continued to sexually exploit the woman through blackmail.
During this period, the husband caught his wife talking to Hardik on the phone, leading to an argument between the couple. The wife then told her husband what had happened.
Although the husband came to know about the alleged blackmail, the victim was unaware that his actions had been discovered.
Police said Hardik would continue to stare at the woman whenever he passed by the couple's house. Seeing his lack of remorse and fearless behaviour enraged the husband.
At one point, the couple considered informing Hardik's family about the alleged blackmail but decided against it, fearing damage to their own reputation.
According to the police, the husband then hatched a plan to kill Hardik, and his wife agreed to help.
As planned, the woman called Hardik and invited him to the house on the morning of July 11. Before Hardik arrived, the husband left the house on his motorcycle, pretending to go to work.
At around 9.10 am, Hardik called his father and said he was going to see a piece of land in Parbatpura. Instead, believing the husband was away, he went to the accused couple's house.
The couple's three children were at school at the time. Assuming the husband was out, Hardik allegedly entered the house, lay down, and began talking intimately with the woman.
At that moment, the husband allegedly sneaked into the house, sat on Hardik's chest before he could react, while the woman held his hands. The husband then allegedly strangled Hardik with his scarf. According to the police, Hardik died on the spot.
Police said the husband then strangled him again with a fan cable. The couple allegedly stuffed the body into a plastic sack, locked the house, and left on their motorcycle. They later picked up their three children from school, dropped them at the woman's father's house, and prepared to flee the city.
Kalol police said the victim's father, Rameshji Thakor, lodged a complaint, following which a post-mortem examination was conducted. The report stated that the cause of death was strangulation.
During the probe, police found that the victim had allegedly recorded the woman and used the video to blackmail her into sexual relations. However, the police said neither the woman nor her husband had ever seen the video that allegedly formed the basis of the blackmail.
After the murder, the husband allegedly smashed Hardik's mobile phone in a fit of rage and threw it away along the roadside. Police said they would seek the accused's remand to recover the missing phone.
Kalol Taluka police have registered a murder case and arrested the couple.
