Delhi: Plumber beats first wife to death, hacks body into pieces

New Delhi: In a shocking incident that came to light on Valentine's Day, a 40-year-old man allegedly beat his wife to death, then hacked her body into two parts to dispose it off in east Delhi's Madhu Vihar area.

The accused Subodh (40), who worked as a plumber, has been arrested and he told police that he suspected his first wife Manisha (35) of having an illicit relationship and he thrashed her on the intervening night of February 10 and 11 so that she would speak the truth, said a senior police officer.

The accused beheaded his first wife with a saw and kept the head in a bag in the bed-box. He had plans to cut the remaining body into pieces to dispose it off but he was arrested today.

He thrashed his first wife to death in front of his second wife Muniya and his three children, including Muniya's two-month-old baby, he said.

The officer said that Subodh's family members said that he was acting like a maniac and kept thrashing Manisha with lathis between February 10 and 11. When Muniya and the children tried to intervene, he even threatened them.

Manisha lived with her two children in Shakurpur area while Subodh lived with Muniya and their only child in Madhu Vihar.

The accused allegedly called Manisha to his house on February 10 to talk to her.

"Even though he is claiming that he thrashed Manisha in a fit of rage, we suspect that he had planned to kill her in advance and that's why he called her to his house in Madhu Vihar," said the officer.

He kept thrashing her despite pleas from Muniya and his children. She lost consciousness and even had fever due to the extreme torture, following which he called a 'quack' to treat her.

Later, he again thrashed her and it is suspected that she succumbed to her injuries on February 11 afternoon. It is alleged he thrashed Muniya as well.

"He was wary of taking the body outside. He first beheaded her using the saw that he used for his plumbing job. He had plans to chop the remaining body in pieces," said the officer.

However, after foul smell started emanating from the body, locals got suspicious and informed police and Manisha's brutal murder was discovered.

Further investigation is underway, he added.