Rajkot: Woman murders live-in partner suspecting affair

RAJKOT: A 49-year-old man was murdered and his body burnt over suspicion of having an affair allegedly by his live-in partner in Maruti Nagar of Kothariya road in Rajkot on Friday evening. Police on Saturday arrested Asha Chauhan for the murder of her partner Rakesh Adhiyaru, who works as a security guard at a jewellery showroom. Cops also detained Adhiyaru's younger son aged 17 years and are probing his role in the murder.
Initially, Chauhan cooked up a story when questioned by police. She said that three masked men had set ablaze Adhiyaru and locked their house from outside. However, during interrogation, Chauhan confessed that she first hit Adhiyaru on the head and then burnt his body to destroy evidence, said police.
The incident came to light when Bhaktinagar police station got a call informing about a fire in a house in Maruti Nagar on Friday evening. When police reached the spot Adhiyaru's younger brother Shailesh told them that his elder brother had divorced his wife 15 years ago and was living with Chauhan since then. Shailesh further informed that Adhiyaru's elder son Hardik (20) was suffering from mental illness and was living with his grandmother for the past eight months.
According to Shailesh on Friday evening the entire family was scheduled to visit a shrine (dargah) to offer prayers. While at the shrine, Shailesh got a call from a relative informing him that smoke was coming out of his brother's house. So, Shailesh rushed to Adhiyaru's house and found his half-burnt body and the room smelling of kerosene. When questioned, Shailesh told police that he suspected Chauhan of murdering his brother. Based on Shailesh's statement, police called the forensic team that concluded that Adhiyaru was first hit on the head before he was burnt. Police said that during questioning, Chauhan admitted that she had hit Adhiyaru on the head with a heavy object and then burnt his body to destroy evidence.
She told police that she and Adhiyaru had been quarrelling often for the last few months. Chauhan suspected that Adhiyaru was having an affair with other women.
Police have also detained Adhiyaru's minor son and are probing his role in the murder.