Husband held for killing wife with hammer in Gautampuri

New Delhi: A housewife was allegedly beaten to death with a hammer by her husband following a domestic dispute in northeast Delhi’s Gautampuri in the early hours of Thursday. The husband has been arrested.

The accused, identified as Daud Ishaq Khan, a 36-year-old autorickshaw driver, reportedly called a friend after committing the crime to say that she was unconscious. He fled later.

The deceased, identified as Rajda, was found lying in a pool of blood in her residence when police personnel from Seelampur police station reached the scene. The woman sustained severe injuries after being struck with a heavy object and was declared dead at the scene. Her body was later shifted to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Preliminary inquiry revealed that the couple frequently argued over family-related issues. Police said Rajda was Daud’s second wife, while his first wife resides in Pune. He has children from his first marriage, who reportedly visited them often, which became a source of tension between the couple.

“A quarrel broke out between the husband and wife on the night of the incident. The argument escalated into a violent altercation during which the accused attacked the woman with a hammer, resulting in her death,” a senior police officer said.

Police said that by the time Daud’s friend raised an alarm and the police team arrived at the residence, he had already escaped.

A case was registered under Section 103 (murder) of the BNS at Seelampur police station. Daud was traced and arrested. Police have seized a mini hammer from his possession.

Many cases of women being beaten to death in similar ways have been reported recently. Earlier in April, another woman was beaten to death by her husband over an argument related to financial issues in northeast Delhi’s Sonia Vihar. In Jan, Kajal Chaudhary, the 24-year-old SWAT commando of Delhi Police, died after being attacked by her husband in southwest Delhi’s Mohan Garden.