In a gruesome case from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 32‑year‑old merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput was allegedly murdered by his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, on the night of March 4. According to investigators, while their five‑year‑old daughter Pihu slept in the adjacent room, Rastogi sedated Rajput by lacing his food with a sedative. Once he was unconscious, she called Shukla, and together they stabbed him multiple times in the chest.

The Crime Scene and Disposal

After killing Rajput, the duo reportedly dismembered his body into 15 pieces using a sharp object in their bathroom. In an attempt to conceal the crime, they hid the severed body parts in a blue plastic drum, which they then sealed with a mixture of cement and dust. The following day, after dropping off their daughter at her grandparents’ home, Rastogi and Shukla fled for Shimla.

Background and Motive

Married in 2016, Rajput and Rastogi had faced marital strain after Rajput left for work abroad—first in London at a mall job and later joining the merchant navy—leaving Rastogi and their daughter behind in Meerut. During his prolonged absence, Rastogi grew close to her neighbor, Sahil Shukla, a Chartered Accountant, sparking an illicit relationship that ultimately fueled tensions between her and Rajput. Rajput had discovered the affair after returning to Meerut for family celebrations in late February.

Unraveling the Mystery

Suspicion arose when Rajput was reported missing by his brother Rahul, who found the rented home locked and received evasive answers from Rastogi. Matters took a turn when Rastogi’s mother, Kavita, pressed her daughter about Rajput’s disappearance. Under repeated questioning, Rastogi confessed that her husband had been killed, leading her family to report the incident to the local police.

When questioned by Senior Police Superintendent Ayush Vikram Singh, Rastogi initially claimed that Rajput’s body was hidden inside a drum at home. However, police inspection revealed that the drum contained only cement. Later, both Rastogi and Shukla were brought to the crime scene, where they confirmed that Rajput’s severed body parts were indeed concealed within the cement-filled drum. Officers then transported the drum discreetly to a hospital, where it was broken open using hammers and drilling machines, eventually recovering Rajput’s head, hands, and feet. The remains have been sent for post-mortem.

Current Status

Both Muskan Rastogi and Sahil Shukla have been arrested and are under thorough interrogation, as authorities continue to piece together the details of this shocking murder.