Shraddha Walker murder case: What led to the horrific crime, what happened on the night of May 18? Read scary details

New Delhi: Delhi Police, which cracked the six-month-old horrific blind murder case, and arrested a man - Aaftab Amin Poonawala - for allegedly killing his 26-year-old live-in partner Shraddha Walkar, has revealed the scary details about what led to the brutal killing of the victim by the accused and what happened on the night of May 18.

How was the accused traced and nabbed?

The shocking and brutal murder case came to life after the girl's father Vikash Madan Walker, a resident of Palghar (Maharashtra), approached the police in November and lodged a missing person complaint about her daughter. In September, the victim`s friend informed her family that there was no contact with Shradhha for the last two and a half months and her mobile number was also switched off. Her family also checked her social media accounts and found no updates during this period. The family then decided to approach the police in November.

During the initial investigation, the victim`s last location was found in Delhi, and on the basis of this, the case was transferred to Delhi Police. The victim`s father told the police about his daughter`s relationship with Aftab and suspected his involvement in his daughter`s absence. During the course of investigation, it was found that Aftab and Shraddha had come to Delhi and started living in a rented apartment in Chhatterpur Pahadi area. 

The police during the course of the investigation, traced Aftab and nabbed him.The accused, during questioning, confessed to the crime and said that they fought often as Shraddha was pressuring him for marriage.  

Poonawala admitted to have strangled Shraddha to death in May 2022, chopping her body into 35 pieces and disposing of them at different places in and around the national capital.

How did the two met?

The accused confessed before the police that he met Shraddha Walker while they were working at a call center in Mumbai. "The two got together via a dating app in Mumbai. They were in a live-in relationship for three years and had shifted to Delhi. Soon after the two shifted to Delhi, Shraddha started pressuring the man to marry her," Additional DCP-I South Delhi Ankit Chauhan said in a press conference.

"The two quarrelled frequently and it used to get out of control. In this particular instance that occurred on May 18, the man lost his temper and strangled her," said DCP Chouhan.  "The accused told us that he chopped her into pieces and disposed of her parts in nearby areas in the jungle area of Chhatarpur Enclave. He has been arrested and investigation is going on," added Chouhan.

How was the crime committed? 

The accused allegedly chopped her body into 35 pieces, bought a refrigerator and kept them in it. He later started disposing of the body parts at different locations in and around Delhi during night hours for the next 18 days, said sources. It has also emerged said that Aftab slept every day in the same room where he had chopped the body after killing Shraddha. He used to see the face after keeping it in the fridge. Aftab had cleaned the fridge after disposing of the body parts. Poonawal used room fresheners and incense sticks to cover the smell of the decaying body of the victim.

Sources said Aftab had relations with many girls even before Shraddha. Before committing the crime, he also watched many crime movies and web series, including the American crime drama series `Dexter`.

Delhi Police is now trying to get in touch with other friends of the victim. Aftab's social media account is also being scanned. His past relationships are being analyzed. Four of his friends who met him before he had a relationship with Shraddha will also be contacted, the Delhi police said,

What are the charges against accused?

"The accused has been arrested and a case under IPC sections 302 (murder) and 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of an offence committed) has been registered at Mehrauli police station," officials said. Police also recovered some bones from the accused`s rented flat and officials said that the efforts to recover the remaining parts of the body were on.

NCW seeks report 

National Commission for Women (NCW) sought a detailed report from Delhi Police on the Shraddha murder case in which a 28-year-old man allegedly killed his live-in partner and chopped her body into 35 pieces and dumped them at different places in and around the national capital. "It is a horrific incident. National Commission for Women (NCW) has asked for a detailed report from the police. Proper investigation should be done and exemplary punishment must be given to avert such incidents in future," NCW Chairperson Rekha Sharma said. 

In its letter to Delhi Police Commissioner Sanjay Arora, the Commission said it is perturbed with the gruesome crime against the woman and condemns it in strongest possible words."You are, therefore, required to direct the concerned police to conduct a fair and time bound investigation in the matter. The action taken report along-with copy of the medical reports of the deceased victim must be communicated to the Commission within 5 days," NCW said. 

Meanwhile, Congress has condemned the gruesome murder of 27-year-old Shraddha Walker and said that the offender should be punished severely. Taking to Twitter, Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh said that Shraddha and the daughters of India deserve justice. "The entire nation is shocked and angry at the brutality with which Aftab Poonawalla killed his live-in partner Shraddha Walker. No words can describe this trauma. This is a heinous crime. The offender should be punished severely. Shraddha and the daughters of India deserve justice," Ramesh tweeted.