BTech student arrested for killingpregnant girlfriend over marriage row

Lucknow: A 22-year-old BTech student was arrested after a police encounter in Sitapur on Saturday for allegedly killing his three-month pregnant girlfriend, a 20-year-old BSc student, following a dispute over marriage.

The accused suffered gunshot injury on his leg after he allegedly snatched the service weapon of a policeman and opened fire while attempting to escape.

The girl left for her college in Sitapur on May 25 morning but did not return. Her family alleged that the accused had abducted her.

Police said that the couple were in a relationship for four years and the woman was pregnant, but the accused was unwilling to marry and allegedly pressured her to terminate pregnancy.

The accused was arrested on June 4 and confessed to the crime claiming that he killed his girlfriend as she was insisting on marriage.

He informed the police that on May 25, he took his girlfriend to a secluded spot in Lucknow where they had an argument over marriage. In a fit of rage, the accused strangled and stabbed her to death.

A police team took the accused to Bakshi Ka Talab in Lucknow, where the skeletal remains of the victim were recovered on June 5 (Friday).

Police recovered hair, clothes, slippers and a knife. The body has been sent for forensic examination and DNA profiling.

“While being taken again for further recovery of evidence on Saturday, the accused snatched the service revolver of a policeman and fired at the team. Police retaliated in self-defence, shot at him and overpowered him,” ASP (south) Durgesh Singh said.

Father alleges delay in police action

The victim’s father alleged that police took no action initially when his daughter went missing on May 25. “I approached the local police station with a named complaint against the accused, but no FIR was lodged,” he said. “The FIR was filed on May 28, but the pace of investigation was slow. I met the circle officer and the superintendent of police multiple times, but no concrete action followed,” he said. He launched a sit-in after which police officers assured him that his daughter would be traced soon. The body was recovered on Friday.