Cousins love affair turns deadly: Woman killed after argument, burnt body in suitcase in Delhi

A woman's charred body was found inside a suitcase in the Ghazipur area of Delhi early on Sunday, January 26. The Delhi Police received a PCR call at approximately 4:10 AM about a suspicious suitcase in a desolate area. Upon reaching the scene, officers found the suitcase containing a body that was severely burnt and beyond recognition. Forensic analysis later confirmed the victim was a woman, and the estimated age of the deceased was between 20 to 35 years. The only identifying feature was her long, intact hair, which suggested the body was female.

Initial investigations were slow, as the body had been burnt beyond recognition. However, a breakthrough came when the police began reviewing CCTV footage in the area. Surveillance showed a Hyundai Verna crossing the vicinity several hours before the body was discovered. Tracing the car’s registration number led investigators to Amit Tiwari, a 22-year-old cab driver from Ghaziabad. Tiwari had purchased the car from a man living in Loni, and this information helped identify him as a suspect.

During questioning, Amit Tiwari identified the victim as his cousin, 23-year-old Shilpa Pandey. Tiwari revealed that Shilpa had been living with him in a live-in relationship for about a year. According to Tiwari, their relationship had deteriorated, with Shilpa pressuring him to marry her and threatening to falsely implicate him and his family in criminal cases if he refused. On the night of January 25, the couple had an argument, and Tiwari, who was reportedly intoxicated, allegedly struck Shilpa and then strangled her to death.

After killing Shilpa, Amit Tiwari contacted his friend Anuj Kumar, a 22-year-old welding mechanic, for help in disposing of the body. The two men packed Shilpa's lifeless body into a suitcase and began searching for a location to dump it. Initially, they planned to drive to Western Uttar Pradesh to dispose of the body near a river or canal, but due to heightened security measures ahead of Republic Day, they encountered multiple police checkpoints at the Delhi-UP border. Realizing that their plan might be foiled, they changed course and continued driving, eventually reaching the secluded Ghazipur area.

In Ghazipur, the two men attempted to destroy evidence by setting the suitcase on fire. They bought diesel from a local petrol station, poured it on the suitcase, and ignited it. The body was burnt between 1:30 and 2:00 AM. The fire and the smell from the burning body did not draw attention from locals, as burning garbage is a common practice in the area during winter months. Additionally, the strong odor from the nearby murga mandi contributed to masking the smell of the fire.

Shilpa Pandey had been reported missing by her family in Surat after she left her home in November. Her family was informed of her death on January 27. Following their arrests, Amit Tiwari and Anuj Kumar were charged with murder, destruction of evidence, and other related offenses. Police have formed multiple teams to investigate further, and the case is ongoing as authorities continue to gather additional information about the events leading up to the murder.