Noida, Nov 15 (PTI) A 34-year-old bus driver has been arrested for the alleged murder of a woman whose headless and limbless body was found in a drain in Noida on November 6, police said on Saturday.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Noida) Yamuna Prasad said the body was found in a drain under the limits of Sector-39 police station, with toe rings being the only identifiable clue. Nine police teams were formed to trace the woman’s identity and the suspect.
“More than 5,000 CCTV cameras were scanned and around 1,100 vehicles were checked. Of these, 44 vehicles were shortlisted and their owners and drivers were questioned,” Prasad said.
The investigation led the police to a white-and-blue bus seen moving suspiciously near the crime scene on November 5 with its lights switched off. The bus, bearing registration number UP16 KT 0037, was traced to driver Monu Singh alias Monu Solanki, a resident of Barola here, the police said.
Further inquiries revealed that the woman, identified as Preeti Yadav, alias Preeti Devi, had been missing for five to six days and was known to be in a prolonged dispute with Singh. She was later confirmed to be the victim, the officer said.
Police arrested Singh on Friday and recovered the bus, bloodstained mat, clothes of the deceased and other remains based on his disclosure.
During interrogation, Singh allegedly told police that he had been in an illicit relationship with Preeti, who worked in a jeans factory in Barola along with her mother. He claimed she had begun extorting money from him and frequently threatened to implicate him or involve his daughters in “illegal activities”, the DCP said.
Prasad said the accused confessed to picking up Preeti on November 5 after taking a ‘gadansa’ (sharp-edged tool) from her house without her knowledge.
“They ate food inside the bus, after which an argument broke out. Singh claimed he attacked her with the weapon, beheaded her and severed her hands to hide her identity,” he said.
The accused allegedly disposed of the torso in a drain in Noida and dumped other remains and the weapon in a dry drain near Siddharth Vihar in Ghaziabad.
Forensic examination of the bus and seized items confirmed the presence of human blood, Prasad said.
An FIR has been registered under Sections 103(1) and 238 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and further legal proceedings are underway, the police added. PTI COR KIS APL APL
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