NEW DELHI: A 35-year-old man allegedly strangled his wife (30) and then attempted to end his life by consuming poison early Tuesday in southwest Delhi's Najafgarh. Police said he was angry with the woman for posting reels and videos regularly on social media platforms and fought frequently over the issue.
The victim, Rajni, was originally from Pilibhit, Uttar Pradesh, and lived with her husband Aman and their two sons, aged 5 and 9, in Old Roshanpura.
Police said in the early hours of Tuesday, the couple was involved in a heated argument, with Aman objecting to Rajni's online presence. He allegedly killed her and then consumed poison and tried to hang himself.
However, the rope snapped, causing him to fall. But the toxic substance began to take effect, prompting him to run outside and cry for help.
Neighbours, alarmed by Aman's loud cries, rushed to check on him, saw Rajni had been killed and immediately alerted police.
"We received a PCR call around 4.23am Tuesday, and our team immediately rushed to the spot. We suspect the incident occurred 15 to 20 minutes earlier," said an officer.
When police arrived, Aman had collapsed and was unconscious. Emergency services rushed him to Rao Tula Ram Hospital for initial treatment. As his condition was severe, he was referred to DDU Hospital for advanced care. He is currently receiving medical treatment under police custody.
Preliminary investigation has not yielded any suicide note. Forensic experts and the crime team collected evidence from the scene and Rajni's body was sent for postmortem. The mobile phones of the couple were seized as part of the probe.
Sources said Rajni had over 6,000 followers on Instagram and was passionate about creating content.
Aman objected to this, which led to frequent disputes between the two and, at times, even physical altercations.
Police said the family had moved into their current residence in April this year. Investigators are recording statements from relatives and neighbours to determine the sequence of events and possible motive. A case under BNS Section 103 (murder) has been registered.