Murder, illicit affairs in Delhi suicide victim's past

New Delhi, Mar 13 (PTI) A history of crime and illicit affairs streaked the Delhi triple suicide, which seemed at first a desperate coda to a life of hardships.

Hailing from Bihar, Pooja, 42, was found dead with her two daughters at her home in southeast Delhi's Molarband on Wednesday. Remnants of froth stuck around their mouths, and their bodies decomposing.

Preliminary investigation by police has now revealed an eventful past of the oldest of the three victims.

According to police, Pooja was once married to Santosh, with whom she had a daughter and a son – Anjali, Vishal Singh. Santosh left her about 22-25 years ago. After his abandonment, she started living with one Rishipal Sharma in Pul Prahladpur area.

Soon, Pooja started seeing another man, Akil, who hailed from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh.

It was this latest lover, who she hatched a plan to kill Rishipal with.

Pooja also roped in her son Vishal Singh and another man, Mehndi Hassain, in the enterprise.

On May 10, 2022, when Rishipal was returning home in Pul Prahladpur from Noida, he was fired at, police said. On May 15, he succumbed to the gunshot wound.

"The motive behind murder of Rishipal was to grab his property and get rid of him as Pooja was now in relationship with Akil," said the officer investigating the suicides.

According to police, while Akil and Pooja came recently out on bail, Vishal Singh remains behind bars.

Akil and Pooja began a life again in southeast Delhi, taking a house on rent, and sharing it with Pooja's two daughters – Shijal, 8, adopted, and Anjali, 18.

Things, however, turned for worse last month, when Akil went to his native place and died there on February 13.

With her sole benefactor gone, Pooja became racked with mounting debts, as well as worries for her jailed son.

She sold or mortgage her anklet to visit Allahabad High Court for release of her son, but in vain, said police, who gleaned facts questioning Pooja's mother Nirmla, and sisters Arti and Shivani.

According to police, the body of her younger daughter was found lying on a bed, with some white powder and a black polyethene also on it. The bodies of Pooja and Anjali lay on the floor.

"Same white substances was also found in the kitchen in dry condition in a steel glass," police said. PTI BM VN VN