Body in sack: Illicit affairs led to Kosad woman’s murder

Surat: In a shocking revelation, the murder of a woman whose body was stuffed in a sack and dumped in Kosad has allegedly been carried out by the father of her daughter-in-law, with the woman's own son part of the conspiracy.Investigators from the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) said the crime stemmed from frequent quarrels over an alleged illicit relationship between the victim's younger son Parvez and his elder brother Wasim's wife Shabana. Police were further stunned when Parvez claimed that the victim herself was in a relationship with his brother's father-in-law— the man who allegedly travelled from Bihar to execute the murder plot.The deceased was identified as 57-year-old Hamida Khatun. Police have arrested her son Parvez, Shabana, and her father Firoz Alam.Hamida lived with her two sons, Wasim and Parvez, and daughter-in-law Shabana at Kosad Awas. Her husband had died a few years ago and she had been heading the family since.DCP (crime) Bhavesh Rojiya told TOI: "Frequent fights broke out after Hamida came to know about the relationship between Parvez and Shabana. She also often reprimanded them for their extravagant spending. Upset with this, Shabana complained about Hamida's behaviour to her father. On Monday, Firoz called Parvez and said he planned to kill Hamida for harassing his daughter. As Parvez too was angry over his mother's constant scolding, he agreed to the plan."Police later discovered that Hamida was also allegedly in a relationship with Firoz. "On Tuesday morning, when both her sons had left for work, Firoz and Hamida went inside a room. After some time, he strangled her with a cloth. Shabana informed Parvez, who returned home. The three then stuffed the body in a plastic sack," an official involved in the probe said.At around 12.30 pm, Firoz allegedly carried the sack on his shoulder and dumped it about 500 metres from the house. He then left for the railway station to board a train to Bihar.DCB officials alerted the Bihar Special Task Force (STF), which apprehended Firoz at a railway station.Parvez–Shabana relationship began in BiharShabana married Parvez's elder brother Wasim three years ago. Initially, the couple lived in Surat with the family. After marriage, Shabana stayed in Bihar for a few months. During that period, Parvez visited Bihar and the two allegedly entered into a relationship. The affair continued even after she returned to Surat, eventually coming to Hamida's notice.Investigators also found that Hamida and Firoz allegedly developed a relationship during one of Hamida's visits to her native place. Hamida was a widow and Firoz's wife was reportedly unwell.Thread a vital clueAfter the body stuffed in the plastic sack was identified as Hamida, a DCB team searched her house. During the search, officers found a thread identical to the one used to tie the plastic sack and the body. This crucial clue helped investigators establish that the murder had been committed by someone within the family.