Court-martialled Army man among three held for killing cousin’s wife in land row in Gurgaon

Gurgaon: Three men, including the alleged mastermind, have been arrested for the murder of a 34-year-old woman whose body was found with her hands tied and mouth taped at her home in Daulah village in Sohna on Oct 16. Police said a dispute over a land deal prompted the woman’s husband’s paternal cousin, Sandeep, to allegedly plot the murder with the help of two associates.The deceased, Neetu, was found dead by her husband, Prashant, a private school teacher, when he returned home with their children in the afternoon. He found household belongings scattered around the house and Neetu lying in the bathroom. He removed the tape, untied her hands and rushed her to a hospital, where doctors declared her dead.Police identified the accused as Sandeep (35), a resident of Daulah, Anuj Rana (29) and Avnish (30), both residents of Roorkee in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar district.According to police, Sandeep held a grudge against Neetu after she persuaded her husband to return Rs 1 lakh that Sandeep had paid as an advance for purchasing their land. Investigators said Sandeep wanted to facilitate the sale of the seven-kanal (0.8-acre) plot, but Neetu considered the agreed price too low and convinced her husband to return the money. Police said this led Sandeep to plan her murder.The alleged conspiracy had been in the making for nearly two months, police said, adding that the accused conducted reconnaissance of Neetu’s house on Aug 31.According to ACP Naveen Sharma, Anuj and Avnish travelled from Roorkee to Daulah on the morning of the crime. Sandeep, accompanied by the two men, reached Neetu’s house around 9am, but they returned without executing the plan after finding her talking on the phone.Around 10.05am, Sandeep and Anuj allegedly entered the house while Avnish remained outside to keep watch. Police said they had brought tape and rope in a bag carried by Sandeep. The two men allegedly taped Neetu’s mouth, tied her hands with rope and strangled her.Neetu’s husband had left home around 7.45am. When he returned in the afternoon, he discovered the murder and rushed her to hospital.The killing triggered anger in the village. On Oct 17, residents blocked the busy Sohna-Gurgaon road for about an hour, demanding the immediate arrest of those responsible.Teams from crime branch Sohna, led by SI Rajesh, and crime branch Manesar, led by SI Sumit, arrested Sandeep in Sohna on Oct 19. Anuj Rana and Avnish were arrested in Roorkee on Oct 20, police said.Investigators said Sandeep had earlier served in the Indian Army but was court-martialled and dismissed in 2023 over his alleged involvement in extorting money on the pretext of securing jobs and other fraudulent activities. Police said he continued to be involved in alleged fraud after leaving the Army.“Sandeep planned to kill Neetu over seven kanals of land. He knew Anuj because the latter worked as a contract-based cook in the Army. Anuj works with the electricity department in his home state on a contract basis, while Avnish is a delivery executive and also works as a milkman,” ACP Sharma said. Sandeep had allegedly promised Rs 10 lakh to his accomplices.A police officer said Sandeep did not flee after the murder and was also present at Neetu’s cremation. “The three accused were captured on CCTV, and the family had suspected Sandeep’s involvement because of frequent arguments over the property. We eventually apprehended Sandeep, following which he revealed the identities of his co-accused,” the officer added.Police said the accused also took gold and silver jewellery from the house. The motorcycle allegedly used in the crime belonged to Anuj, police said.Sandeep was produced before a court on Oct 19 and remanded to four days of police custody. He is being questioned as part of the ongoing investigation.An FIR has been registered at Sohna Sadar police station under sections 103(1) (murder), 127(2) (wrongful restraint), 332(a) (dishonest or fraudulent removal or concealment of property) and 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of BNS.You Can Also Check: Gold Rate in Gurgaon | Silver Rate in Gurgaon | Bank Holidays in Gurgaon | Public Holidays in Gurgaon | Gurgaon AQI | Weather in Gurgaon | Petrol Price in Gurgaon | Diesel Price in Gurgaon | CNG Price in Gurgaon | LPG Price in GurgaonStay updated with the latest Gurgaon news. Download the TOI App.