A shocking incident has rocked Chandpur in Bijnor district, Uttar Pradesh, where Hariom Singh, a manager at a finance company, was found hanging in his rented accommodation on January 18. Hariom had been living with Sheetal, a Community Health Officer, for nearly 18 months. What initially appeared to be a suicide has now taken a suspected murder turn, with police registering a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Discovery and Initial Response
According to police reports, Sheetal informed authorities that she discovered Hariom hanging in the room, immediately took him down, and rushed him to a nearby hospital. Despite her efforts, doctors declared him dead.
The body was sent for postmortem examination, while the family raised doubts about the circumstances, lodging a complaint accusing Sheetal of murder. She was subsequently taken into police custody for questioning.
Forensic Evidence Raises Doubts
Investigators noted inconsistencies in the alleged suicide. Forensic experts observed that the ceiling fan was too close to the bed for a conventional hanging, the knot around Hariom’s neck was loose, and the fan blades showed no visible strain—signs suggesting that the death may not have been self-inflicted. These findings prompted authorities to treat the case as a suspected homicide.
Further investigation revealed details of a heated argument between Hariom and Sheetal over marriage. Police allege that during the argument, Sheetal kicked Hariom’s legs while he attempted to hang himself, causing him to lose balance and suffocate, as per a report on India Today. She reportedly left the room briefly to make it appear she was not present, returning only to alert neighbors. The first postmortem had shown injury marks, prompting the family to demand a second examination, which police conducted to clarify the cause of death.
Parallel Case Highlights Rising Concerns
A similar case in Mankapur has also drawn attention. Prachi, a young woman, was initially recorded as having died accidentally. Police later found evidence suggesting she had been strangled and struck against a wall before her body was staged as a hanging.
A man named Shekhar Dhore, reportedly close to the victim, has been detained for questioning in connection with her death, which occurred on January 19.
