26-Yr-Old Kills Girlfriend, Stages It as Suicide; Held

The Man Broke Into the Victim's House to Kill Her by Scaling a Pipeline on the Wall of the Adjacent House, Said Officers

- HT Correspondent

NEW DELHI: A 26-year-old man murdered his 22-year-old girlfriend inside her house in northwest Delhi on Friday, then manipulated the crime scene to make it appear as if she died by suicide by hanging herself from the ceiling fan, police said, adding that the man was arrested on Saturday.

The incident took place at a two-storey house in Bharat Nagar. The victim was identified as Saniya Shahid, who gave maths and science tuition to primary school students at her home. The accused, Shakir Saleem, works as a delivery executive.

On Friday morning, Shahid's parents found her dead on her bed with a dupatta around her neck and a second dupatta hanging from the ceiling fan. The two did not suspect any foul play and believed their daughter had died by suicide, and informed the police at 9am, said investigators.