A day after the decomposed body of a man was discovered stuffed inside a drum in Rajasthan’s Khairthal-Tijara district, police arrested the victim’s wife, Sunita, and her alleged lover, Jitendra Sharma. The couple had fled the scene with Sunita’s three children but were apprehended following a tip-off.
Authorities are investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder, which has shocked the local community. Police investigations revealed signs of domestic violence prior to the murder, and the body bore a throat injury from a sharp weapon. The incident echoes a similar ‘blue drum’ murder case in Uttar Pradesh, touching a raw nerve on domestic crimes in India.
Discovery of the Body and Arrest of Accused
Hansram’s body was discovered following neighbourhood complaints about a foul smell emanating from the rented rooftop room where the family had been living for two months. The police found the body covered in salt to accelerate decomposition, inside a blue plastic drum. According to officials, a deep cut on Hansram’s throat indicated murder.
The accused couple had fled but were found hiding near another brick kiln. Police arrested them and are interrogating to uncover full details. The couple’s three children are currently in protective care. An 8-year-old son revealed to police how his mother and Jitendra placed his father’s body into the drum, shedding light on the brutality of the crime.
Son’s Chilling Account Sheds Light on Gruesome Murder
The investigation took a dramatic turn when Hansram’s 8-year-old son, Harshal, emerged as a key witness, providing a chilling account of the night his father was killed. Speaking to NDTV, Harshal revealed that the blue drum, normally used to store water, was allegedly repurposed by his mother Sunita and her alleged lover Jitendra Sharma to hide his father’s rotting body.
According to the child, his father, mother, and Jitendra had been drinking together on the night of the murder. After a drunken Hansram began physically abusing Sunita, Jitendra intervened, which led to a deadly confrontation where Jitendra attacked Hansram.
Harshal also described how he witnessed the accused placing his father’s body into the drum and covering it with salt to hasten decomposition. He revealed that fearing police involvement after a landlord’s threat, Sunita and Jitendra took him and his siblings to a brick kiln some distance away.
The police confirmed Harshal’s account and stated that Hansram was smothered while intoxicated. Authorities arrested Sunita, Jitendra, and took the children into protective custody. The children are to be handed over to their paternal grandparents for care. This detailed eyewitness testimony, reported by NDTV, has been critical in advancing the case while highlighting the tragic human cost behind the sensational ‘blue drum’ murder case.
Background: Domestic Violence and Rising ‘Blue Drum’ Murders
Hansram, a brick kiln worker from Uttar Pradesh, reportedly suffered domestic abuse and had frequent confrontations with Sunita and Jitendra, including an incident when he attacked his wife and son. The police noted a history of alcoholism and violence.
This case revived memories of a similar brutal murder in Meerut, UP, where a woman and her lover dismembered a husband and sealed the remains in a blue drum filled with cement. Such cases highlight the grim reality of family violence in India and underline the urgent need for intervention and prevention policies.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
The Logical Indian condemns such violent and inhumane acts that destroy families and traumatize children. This case exposes the urgent need for stronger protective frameworks, counselling, and legal reforms to address domestic violence comprehensively.
Beyond punishment, society must strive for early identification, support for victims, and community awareness to break these cycles of abuse. The welfare of children caught in these tragedies demands special attention.
