A 34-year-old man, Yogesh Singh, was brutally murdered by his wife, her boyfriend, and two hired accomplices after he allegedly refused to grant her a divorce, police said on Saturday.
The shocking crime, which occurred on the night of September 24, came to light after the victim’s dismembered skeletal remains were discovered in a forested area of Pilkhuwa, Hapur, on October 7.
The Victim and His Family
Yogesh Singh, originally from Bijnor, had been living with his wife, Pooja Singh (31), and their two young sons aged seven and four in a rented apartment in Sahibabad, Ghaziabad.
He worked in a local factory and also drove a bike taxi to support his family. The couple had been married since 2013, according to police reports.
According to ACP Sweta Kumari Yadav of Sahibabad Police, Pooja had initially filed a missing person’s report on October 2, claiming that Yogesh went missing while traveling to Hapur for work.
However, investigators soon became suspicious after Yogesh’s brother who lives in Bijnor expressed doubts about Pooja’s version of events and suggested she might have played a role in his disappearance.
Police began tracking Yogesh’s phone and discovered that its last active location was in Hapur.
“When we contacted Hapur police, they informed us about an abandoned bike found near a forest area in Pilkhuwa,” ACP Yadav said.
On October 7, multiple police teams conducted a search of the area and made a horrific discovery Yogesh’s dismembered skeletal remains and pieces of his clothing scattered across the forest.
Police believe that wild animals may have partially devoured the body. “If the search had been delayed by just two or three days, recovering the body parts would have been impossible,” ACP Yadav added.
Forensic teams have collected DNA samples to confirm the identity of the remains.
As the investigation deepened, CCTV footage revealed Pooja, her alleged lover Ashish, and two accomplices Chandra Pal, from Jhansi, and Praveen moving together in the days leading up to the murder.
During interrogation, police learned that the group had been planning Yogesh’s murder for two to three months.
Police said Ashish, a native of Bulandshahr, had met Pooja through a mutual friend three years ago, and the two had developed a romantic relationship.
According to investigators, two previous attempts to kill Yogesh had failed.
On the night of September 24, Pooja allegedly lured her husband to Pilkhuwa, claiming she needed him to pick her up from there. Unknown to Yogesh, she had already conspired with Ashish and his associates to ambush him.
“When Yogesh arrived around 9:30 p.m., he found Ashish with Pooja, leading to a heated argument,” ACP Yadav said. “During the scuffle, Chandra Pal came from behind and slit Yogesh’s throat with a switchblade.”
Police said that when Yogesh tried to escape into the forest, Pooja, Ashish, and Chandra Pal chased him down and attacked him multiple times, leaving him dead before fleeing the scene.
They later dumped the body and returned home.
Police revealed that Pooja had asked Yogesh for a divorce multiple times, but he had refused to let her leave the marriage.
“Pooja confessed that she wanted to live with Ashish,” ACP Yadav said, adding that there had been no prior police reports of domestic violence between the couple.
Investigators also discovered that Ashish had moved close to the couple’s home about a month earlier to monitor Yogesh’s movements and finalize the murder plan.
All four suspects Pooja, Ashish, Chandra Pal, and Praveen have been arrested and charged with murder, while further investigation continues.
The brutal killing has shocked residents of both Ghaziabad and Hapur, sparking outrage and debate over rising instances of domestic betrayal and contract killings across the region.
Police say more details will emerge once forensic tests and call records are fully analyzed.
“It’s a tragic case of love turned deadly,” said a senior police officer. “The very person the victim trusted most, his wife became part of a plot to end his life.'
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