By Sagaya Fernando | 7 June 2025
Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, INDIA: In a case that has sent shockwaves through northern India, police in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, have arrested a woman and four members of her family—including a minor—for the gruesome murder of a 17-year-old girl, allegedly carried out to punish her for a romantic relationship disapproved of by the family.
The victim, Aastha, was reportedly strangled and then beheaded with a bolt cutter by her 40-year-old mother, Rakesh Devi, with assistance from relatives. The killing occurred on May 28 in Daurala, a village on the outskirts of Meerut, according to Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Vipin Tada.
Her decapitated body was discovered the next day—Thursday, May 29—by a local farmer who spotted the torso, wrapped in cloth, floating in the Bahadurpur canal in the Partapur region. Her severed head, believed to have been thrown into the nearby Ganga canal, has not yet been recovered.
Murder Motivated by Family Disapproval of Online Relationship
Police said the victim had developed a romantic relationship with a man she met online approximately eight months ago, a relationship her family strongly opposed. According to officials, tensions reached a peak on May 28, when Aastha was allegedly caught speaking with the man.
“She was first strangled and then decapitated using a bolt cutter,” said SSP Tada in a press briefing. “The body was disposed of in an attempt to prevent identification. The mother was assisted by her cousins and a 14-year-old minor. Another suspect, identified as Gaurav, a resident of Hapur, remains at large.”
The arrested individuals have been identified as: Rakesh Devi, 40 (mother of the victim); Monu, 26 (relative); Kamal Singh, 56 (relative); Samar Singh, 54 (relative); and a 14-year-old boy (identity withheld due to age)
Efforts to Conceal the Crime and Mislead Investigators
Initially, the family attempted to mislead authorities, reporting Aastha as missing. They claimed she had left home for school on the morning of Wednesday, May 28, and failed to return. A missing person’s report was filed later that day. However, forensic evidence and the identification of clothing found on the body led investigators to her boyfriend—and ultimately, back to the family.
Police have registered charges under Sections 103(1) (murder) and 238 (destruction of evidence) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) at Partapur police station. A forensic team has collected samples from the crime scene, and searches are ongoing to locate the missing head and apprehend the absconding accused.
Father Unaware, Posted in Chhattisgarh
Aastha’s father, a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer currently stationed in Chhattisgarh, was reportedly unaware of the crime at the time it occurred. Police have informed him of the tragedy and are coordinating further investigation with his cooperation.
A Stark Reminder of ‘Honor’-Driven Violence
This case is the latest in a series of violent incidents across India where young women have been targeted by their own families over relationships deemed unacceptable. Activists say the killing highlights the persistent dangers of so-called “honor killings”, where familial reputation is placed above individual rights—often with deadly consequences.
“There's a deep crisis at the intersection of gender, tradition, and control,” said a senior women’s rights advocate in New Delhi. “We need urgent societal introspection, and the law must come down heavily in such cases.”
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