Lucknow Live-In Murder Case: In a gruesome incident that has sent shockwaves across Uttar Pradesh’s capital, a 55-year-old e-rickshaw driver allegedly choked his 28-year-old live-in partner to death inside his shelter following a heated late-night monetary dispute. The accused then attempted to dump the victim’s corpse into a canal using his vehicle, but dumped it on a footpath and fled after spotting oncoming passersby.
Lucknow Police tracked down and arrested the accused within three hours of receiving the official complaint, also recovering the e-rickshaw used in the crime.
The Fatal Argument: Demand for ₹50,000 Triggers Tragedy
Lucknow Live-In Murder Case: According to official police reports, the accused, identified as Dheeraj Kumar Sonkar (55), had been in a relationship with the victim, Pooja alias Parveen (28), for the past four to five years. Pooja frequently visited and stayed with Dheeraj at his accommodation situated in the Sleeper Ground area of Manaknagar.
On the night of August 30, Pooja was staying at Dheeraj’s shelter when a financial disagreement erupted between the two. Investigators revealed that Pooja demanded ₹50,000 from Dheeraj. However, Dheeraj expressed his inability to pay, explaining that he had recently taken out loans to purchase a new e-rickshaw and was experiencing severe financial strain.
What started as a monetary discussion quickly escalated into an intense overnight argument that stretched into the early hours of the morning.
Escalation and Strangulation in the Early Hours
Lucknow Live-In Murder Case: Around 3:00 AM to 4:00 AM, as the argument reached its peak, Pooja insisted on leaving for her home and allegedly threatened Dheeraj with dire consequences.
Driven by sudden rage during the confrontation, Dheeraj grabbed Pooja’s dupatta (scarf) and tightly wrapped it around her neck. He continued to strangle her until she collapsed and breathed her last. Realizing that Pooja was dead, Dheeraj was immediately confronted with the challenge of disposing of the body without drawing suspicion.
A Calculated Cover-Up Cut Short by Passersby
To evade law enforcement, Dheeraj engaged in a calculated plan to transport and dump the body:
Route Reconnaissance: Before moving the corpse, Dheeraj personally surveyed the surrounding streets to identify routes with minimal CCTV coverage and low foot traffic.
Transportation: He loaded Pooja’s body into his newly purchased e-rickshaw under the cover of early morning darkness.
The Disposal Site: He drove toward the DRM Pulia near a local canal, intending to submerge the body in the water.
However, as Dheeraj arrived near the canal bank and prepared to throw the body into the water, he noticed a group of pedestrians approaching the spot. Fearing immediate capture, panic set in. Abandoning his original plan, he dumped the corpse directly onto the pavement and sped away in his e-rickshaw.
Swift Police Action Leads to Arrest Within 3 Hours
The matter came to light when the victim’s father, Munna Lal Mian (also known as Tinchu Islam), approached the Manaknagar Police Station and lodged a formal complaint. He directly accused Dheeraj Kumar Sonkar of murdering his daughter and discarding her body near the canal.
Following the complaint, Manaknagar Station House Officer (SHO) Ajit Kumar formed an investigation team to trace the suspect.
By piecing together local intelligence and tracing movement patterns, police located Dheeraj at his residence in Shantipuram, Alambagh. He was taken into custody roughly three hours after the police initiated the search.
Confession and Remand
During preliminary interrogation, Dheeraj confessed to the murder and detailed how he tried to avoid CCTV cameras while transporting the body. Based on his statements, police seized the e-rickshaw used during the disposal attempt.
The police have processed the accused through the judicial system. Dheeraj was presented before a local court, which subsequently remanded him into judicial custody/jail as formal criminal proceedings proceed.