Meerut, July 7, 2025 — What began as a routine day for 45-year-old Subhash in the fields of Bhupgarhi village on June 23 ended in a fatal betrayal — not by outsiders, but by his own family. After two weeks of investigation involving digital evidence and village gossip, police have arrested five people, including Subhash’s wife and daughter, for orchestrating his murder over secret romantic entanglements.
Subhash was shot from behind while working in his field and succumbed to his injuries a day later at a hospital. The initial lack of clues made the killing appear senseless, but investigators soon unearthed a disturbing plot involving his wife Kavita and daughter Sonam, both of whom were allegedly in relationships they feared Subhash would oppose.
“Subhash was known to be strict and conservative. His family saw him as an obstacle to their personal choices,” said Rakesh Kumar Mishra, Superintendent of Police (Rural), confirming the arrests on Sunday.
According to police, Kavita was romantically involved with Gulzar, a neighboring farmer, while her daughter Sonam, a college student, was dating Vipin, a local milk vendor. When Sonam found out about her mother’s affair, she used it as leverage to gain Kavita’s support for her own relationship. Soon, the two allegedly began conspiring to remove Subhash from their lives.
Vipin roped in his friend Ajgar alias Shubham to carry out the murder. The group spent five days planning the attack. On June 23, as Subhash left for his field, Kavita and Sonam reportedly alerted Vipin and Ajgar via a WhatsApp call. Vipin handed over the pistol to Ajgar, who then shot Subhash and fled the scene.
Even as the family mourned publicly, performed last rites, and accepted condolences, investigators noticed inconsistencies in statements and patterns of suspicious communication. “We analyzed call records, WhatsApp chats, and phone locations to reconstruct the chain of events,” Mishra said.
Recovered messages show Sonam texting Vipin after the murder: “I did wrong to papa,” to which he replied, “Don’t worry… I’m here.” The family, police say, continued to track investigation updates online even after the crime.
Subhash is survived by four children — his eldest daughter is married, while sons Ayush and Vansh are studying in Classes 11 and 10 respectively.
All five accused — Kavita, Sonam, Gulzar, Vipin, and Ajgar — have been booked for murder and criminal conspiracy and sent to jail. The murder weapon has been recovered, and further legal proceedings are underway.
