Agra: Uttar Pradesh police on Friday, July 3, arrested a 40-year-old woman for the murder of her husband after an investigation led to his body being found buried under the bathroom tiles in their house in Agra.
Ruby Sharma acted like her husband, Surendra Sharma, 44, had gone missing and even filed a missing persons report at the Sikandra Police Station on May 26. Surendra’s body was found nearly 45 days later following a breakthrough in the investigation when Ruby was questioned about the missing persons complaint. Officials noted suspicious ATM withdrawals and found that the family’s statements were inconsistent.
The information subsequently led the police to the couple’s residence in the Renuka Dham colony of the Dehtora area. Beneath the washroom tiles lay the husband’s decomposed remains. Assistant Commissioner of Police, Amisha, said that Ruby dug a pit in the bathroom, buried the body before covering it with concrete to conceal the crime.
Police confirmed that Surendra was killed on May 18. His wife filed a complaint eight days later, stating he was missing, said Deputy Commissioner of Police, Agra, Syed Ali Abbas.
Surendra was an alcoholic and had been unemployed for a while, police said. He had often demanded money from Ruby for buying alcohol and allegedly beat her whenever she refused, according to authorities. The couple had been married for at least 16 years and had two daughters. Their main source of income was from the pension of Surendra’s late father, shared by Surendra and his brother.
A neighbour, Gaurav Dixit, claimed the couple frequently argued and that Surendra, a native of Bharatpur, had been living with his family for about nine years. He said residents had repeatedly asked Ruby about her husband’s whereabouts after he went missing, but she repeatedly evaded their questions, feigning grief.
Investigation revealed that Ruby, exhausted by the abuse, reportedly mixed an overdose of sleeping pills in a bowl of kheer. Later, the couple’s daughters saw Surendra lifeless on the bed, but did not find it amiss as he often passed out after drinking. The following day, Ruby took her daughters to Anil’s house, Surendra’s brother. Ruby allegedly excavated the washroom floor, buried her husband’s body, and plastered the area. She laid new tiles to cover up traces of evidence.
The murder was unraveled only after Anil noticed that cash was still being withdrawn from the ATM card where his father’s pension is credited. He immediately notified the police, eventually leading to Ruby’s arrest.
Police are currently examining the details to find whether she acted alone. DCP Abbas observed that it would be difficult for one person to bury the body. “It appears a tough task for a woman alone to get the man killed and get the body buried in the house itself. For now, we are still looking for linkages about anyone other than the woman involved in the crime,” he said.
The husband’s body has been sent for post-mortem examination, while a forensic team has collected evidence from the couple’s house.
