In a major development in the Noida double death case, family members of the man found dead with his girlfriend inside a parked car on Saturday alleged that the couple may have been murdered. The family has claimed that they faced caste-based threats, even as police said prima facie the case appeared to be a suicide.
As per the information, the couple allegedly received taunts from the woman's family. The man's family claimed to have also received threats, including calls from international numbers warning of police action.
The bodies of the couple were found with gunshot wounds inside a locked car near Sector 107, Noida, earlier in the day. The couple, identified as Sumit (32) and Rekha (26), have been dating for over a decade. Officials reported that a pistol was recovered from Sumit’s hand.
"We believe both have been murdered and were victims of casteism," PTI quoted Sumit’s cousin.
"Sumit is my younger brother. He and the girl had been together for 12-15 years, and she attended our family functions. There was never any pressure from our side," the relative told PTI.
Alleging that the couple may have been murdered, the family member said the car was found just a few hundred metres from the woman’s village in Salarpur and described the circumstances surrounding the deaths as “suspicious”.
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Police, however, maintained that initial findings point towards a possible suicide. A pistol was recovered from Sumit’s hand, and the car was locked from inside, officers said.
Senior officials and forensic teams have inspected the spot, and the post-mortem report is awaited to ascertain the exact cause of death.
Authorities said all angles, including the family’s allegations of caste-based threats, are being thoroughly examined as part of the investigation. Further probe is underway.