UP Police Identify Woman Whose Body Was Found in Suitcase, Husband & His Parents Held for Dowry Killing

The police in Ghaziabad have identified the woman whose body was found in a suitcase in the district, unveiling a case of murder for dowry in which her husband and his parents were arrested in Bulandshahr on Tuesday, officials said. The woman's body, which was stuffed in a suitcase, was spotted by locals in Sahibabad area on Monday morning after which the police launched a probe to ascertain her identity.

The police had initially suspected that the woman was killed elsewhere and her body dumped in Sahibabad. During the probe, the police went through CCTV footage of nearby areas and key road junctions to get any clue but the breakthrough was achieved with the help of WhatsApp in 15 hours. "As part of our efforts to ascertain the woman's identity, we had shared her photo in 1,500 WhatsApp groups while senior police officers and deputy commissioners of police of bordering states were also informed," Senior Superintendent of Police Kalanidhi Naithani told PTI.

One of the victim's relatives staying in Delhi's Uttam Nagar recognised her after seeing her photo on WhatsApp and informed her family, who then contacted the police, he said. She was identified as Barisha, 25, daughter of Zafar Ali, who lives in Aligarh. Barisha had got married recently and was living at her in-laws' house in Bulandshahar district, the SSP said.

The woman's parents had lodged a case of dowry against their daughter's in-laws on July 25 in Bulandshahr, after which she had gone missing and two days later her body was found in Ghaziabad, he added. After connecting the dots, police arrested Barisha's husband and his parents on Tuesday afternoon from their home in Bulandshahr.

"The accused husband, his father and mother have been arrested by the Kotwali Nagar police. They killed the woman over their demand for extra dowry. They stuffed her body in a suitcase and dumped it in the Sahibabad area of Ghaziabad," the Bulandshahr police said. The post-mortem was to be conducted in Ghaziabad on Tuesday and the process videographed. The body would then be handed over to her parents, SSP Naithani said.

Meanwhile, the police team investigating the case has been given a reward of Rs 15,000 for their good work, Naithani added.