Bihar Wife Murder: Husband Hires Hitmen for ₹25 Lakh Over Suspected Affair

Patna: A shocking murder case in Patna’s Janipur area has come to light, where a husband allegedly hired assassins to kill his wife for ₹25 lakh over suspicions of extramarital affairs. The police arrested Subodh Sharma within 48 hours after using technical and forensic evidence to solve the case.

The victim, Mala Devi, a resident of Pali, Jehanabad district, was shot dead on 11 January in Gajwak Mohammadpur. Initially, the case appeared mysterious, but police investigations revealed that her husband orchestrated the crime due to long-standing domestic tensions and disputes.

Suspicion of Extramarital Affair Leads to Murder
Patna City Superintendent of Police (West), Bhanu Pratap Singh, said that investigations revealed Mala Devi was allegedly involved in personal and financial dealings with other individuals, which had caused ongoing conflict between the couple. These personal disputes allegedly drove Subodh Sharma to conspire to have her killed.

₹25 Lakh Hit Arranged
The police stated that Sharma recruited his acquaintance, Kunal Kishore, formerly employed at a hotel, to carry out the murder. An advance payment was made, and the rest was promised after the job was completed. On 11 January, Mala Devi was lured to Gajwak Mohammadpur under the pretext of showing her a piece of land, then taken to an isolated location, where the assailants shot her. Both accused initially fled the scene.

Quick Arrests Lead to Case Breakthrough
Using mobile call records, location data, and analysis of personal contacts, police traced the suspects. Kunal Kishore was first arrested at Jehanabad railway station, along with the mobile phone used in the crime. Following his interrogation, Subodh Sharma, the husband, was also taken into custody.

Investigation Ongoing
Police said the suspects are being interrogated thoroughly. The case is being handled by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) led by the SDPO of Fatuha-Fulwarisharif. Recovery of the murder weapon, mapping the entire conspiracy network, and identifying any other accomplices are still part of ongoing investigations.