Dowry death accused held after encounter in UP's Kheri

LUCKNOW: A 28-year-old man accused of killing his wife in a murder and dowry-related case was arrested after a police encounter in Lakhimpur Kheri in the wee hours of Sunday, with the post-mortem confirming she was strangled and bore electric burn injuries, police said.

The accused, Robin Ali, sustained a bullet injury to his leg during an exchange of fire with a Padua police team near Dhakherwa Khalsa and was arrested on the spot. He is the prime accused in the murder of his wife, Shahnaz Bano (23), who was found dead under suspicious circumstances on June 5.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Khyati Garg said the arrest followed a targeted operation. “The accused tried to flee and opened fire at the police team.

Acting in self-defence, police retaliated. He was overpowered after sustaining a gunshot injury and taken into custody,” Garg said. He is currently undergoing treatment under police guard.

The case was registered at Padua police station on a complaint filed by Shahnaz’s father, who alleged sustained harassment for dowry.

Initially, an FIR was lodged under Sections 80(2) (dowry death) and 85 (cruelty against married woman) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and Sections 3/4 of the Dowry Prohibition Act.

According to the complaint, Shahnaz married Robin Ali on May 12, 2022. Soon after, her husband and in-laws allegedly demanded a bike and Rs 40,000 in cash.

“She was repeatedly subjected to physical and mental cruelty over these demands,” SSP Garg said.

Investigators found that Shahnaz had moved back to her parental home for nearly 10–11 months due to harassment and had initiated legal proceedings related to maintenance and domestic violence. She returned to her matrimonial home around three weeks before her death following a compromise between the families.

The post-mortem report, conducted on June 6, confirmed homicide, citing “asphyxia due to ante-mortem throttling” as the cause of death. Doctors recorded multiple injury marks on the neck, fracture of the thyroid cartilage, and blood in the trachea—clear indicators of manual strangulation. Significantly, the report also noted electric burn injuries and other bodily trauma, suggesting the victim was subjected to severe torture before being killed.

“Medical evidence establishes that the victim was assaulted and then strangled. Accordingly, murder charges have been added,” Garg said.

A forensic inspection of the house revealed bloodstains in a room separate from where the body was found, indicating that the assault may have occurred elsewhere before the killing. Based on emerging evidence, police invoked Section 103(1) (murder) and Section 3(5) BNS in the case.

Acting on a tip-off, police traced the accused near a sugarcane centre in Dhakherwa Khalsa. During the encounter, officers recovered a .315 bore country-made pistol, live and spent cartridges, and a motorcycle. A separate case under the Arms Act has also been registered.

Police said efforts are underway to arrest other accused named in the FIR, including members of the victim’s matrimonial family. “No one found involved will be spared. All aspects of the case are being thoroughly investigated,” SSP Garg said.