Woman who eloped detained by UP cops, then shot dead by husband inside police station

UP murder

• Woman shot by husband inside Hardoi police station, revealing security flaws
• Two officers suspended for negligence; internal investigation ordered
• Murder weapon recovered; case assigned for thorough probe into police protocols

Did our AI summary help?

In an act of brazen violence that has exposed security lapses, a 33-year-old woman was shot dead by her husband inside a police station in Uttar Pradesh's Hardoi district on Monday morning. The murder occurred just feet from officers, days after the police themselves had located and detained the woman following her elopement.

The victim, identified as Soni, was killed instantly by a single close-range gunshot to her chest. The accused, her 36-year-old husband Anoop Kumar, was subsequently overpowered and arrested at the scene. The Hardoi Superintendent of Police, Ashok Kumar Meena, has suspended two officers for negligence and ordered an internal investigation.

According to official accounts, Soni had left her marital home in the Pali police station area on January 7 with a 28-year-old man from Sahajanpur. The following day, Anoop Kumar filed a formal complaint, not only alleging she had eloped but also claiming she had taken jewellery and Rs 35,000 in cash.

A police team successfully traced Soni and brought her to the Pali police station on Sunday, January 11, for legal procedures. She remained at the station overnight and was due to be taken for a medical examination on Monday before a court appearance. Relatives from both sides had gathered, reportedly to mediate a compromise between the couple.

The murder unfolded just before 11 am on Monday. Soni, accompanied by a woman constable, had stepped out of the station’s mess after breakfast. Anoop Kumar, who was present on the premises, approached her from behind. He then drew a country-made pistol concealed in his waistband and fired once.

A senior officer reportedly stated that the bullet struck Soni's chest, causing her to collapse. The gunshot triggered panic within the station compound. According to police, Anoop Kumar attempted to flee but was swiftly apprehended alongside an accomplice and the murder weapon was recovered. Soni was rushed to the district hospital, where she was pronounced dead.

SP Meena characterised the incident as a "serious lapse." He confirmed the immediate suspension of the investigating officer, Vikrant Chowdhary and the woman constable, Sanjana Rajput, for negligence. SP Meena asserted that action would also be taken against anyone else found guilty.

The case has now been assigned to Additional Superintendent of Police (West) Martand Prakash Singh for a thorough investigation, which will scrutinise the security protocols that allowed a firearm to be brought into the station and the fatal encounter to occur.