Police in Kanpur say they have solved the murder of a 32-year-old woman from Deoria whose body was found in a rented room in the Chakeri area. The accused, contractor Pappu Paswan, allegedly confessed during questioning that he killed her after a quarrel, first hitting her with a brick and then strangling her. The body was found two days after the killing, police said.

Body found in rented room

The woman had rented a room in Swarn Jayanti Vihar about 20 days earlier. On 22 October, a neighbour named Aditya noticed the room's door open with no sound from inside and informed the landlord, who alerted police. Police found the woman's body under a cot in the room, with injury marks on her face and body.

A post-mortem conducted on Saturday with a panel and videography confirmed death by strangulation, police said. The woman's mother, who arrived from Deoria with her younger daughter, identified the body as her elder daughter.

What police say the accused confessed

According to police, Paswan said the woman was pressuring him to divorce his wife and threatening to trap him in false cases. He alleged that on Wednesday, the woman made abusive remarks about his daughter and threatened him, leading to a fight and scuffle. He then allegedly hit her on the head with a brick and, once she fell unconscious, strangled her before fleeing.

Police say the two first came in contact in 2021. Paswan, who was already married, says he married the woman under pressure and later started visiting her rented room in Sanigwan. The woman later filed a case against him at Bidhnoo police station alleging dowry harassment and marriage despite being married, police said.

Claims about past relationships

Police said the woman later lived with a meat trader named Aqib Qureshi in Swarn Jayanti Vihar, describing him as her husband, and that disputes with him also led to police complaints. The accused has further claimed that the woman lived with three other men in Kanpur and Unnao and filed cases against them, and that she used five different names. Police said they have not yet contacted those people and will record their statements. These are claims made by the accused and police disclosures, not established findings.

Case background police gave

Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Satyajeet Gupta, who disclosed the case on Sunday, said the woman had married a man named Hamza from Jajmau about 12 years ago, and later lived with Rajkumar of Gangaghat Lakhapur in Unnao, Pappu Paswan, and Aqib Qureshi. Police said she had also got an Aadhaar card made using Rajkumar's address, describing him as her father, and had filed cases against Rajkumar, Paswan and Qureshi. The investigation is continuing.