Yet another interfaith relationship ended with the death of a Hindu woman in Ghaziabad, adjoining the nation’s capital, New Delhi. On August 31, Pinki Gupta was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her room in the Vishali area. Her family accused one Sakib Khan, who was in an alleged live-in relationship with the woman. Based on the complaint, the police arrested the prime accused in this case under charges of abutment to suicide.
The police teams are also investigating the murder angle following the statement of the family. Other than this, the victim’s brother told Organiser that his sister was a victim of grooming and love jihad. We also found some posts from Pinki’s Instagram account that show how manipulated she was and also raise suspicion over her Muslim friend. From Pinki’s suicide note to Sakib’s marital status, this case has unfolded like a mystery book.
How the woman’s body was recovered?
Pinki Gupta worked as a receptionist at Red Rocks Gym in Sector 3, Vaishali and she lived in the same locality. On August 31, she was found dead under mysterious circumstances. Pinki’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan in her own room. The family alleged that her boyfriend, Sakib Khan, was responsible for her death.
Pinki was acquainted with Saqib Khan at the gym, she has known him for over four years, with their friendship reportedly evolving into a romantic relationship over the last two years. According to family members, Khan visited Pinky’s home that night and subsequently fled the scene after committing the alleged murder.
Upon the family’s request, the Kaushambi Police Station initiated an investigation and attempted to apprehend Khan at his residence in Delhi’s Vinod Nagar. However, Khan managed to evade arrest upon seeing the police. Later, acting on a tip-off the police arrested him.
What says the FIR?
An FIR (number 403) was registered in this case, at the Kaushabi police station of the Ghaziabad Commissionorate. Organiser accessed the copy and this is what Pinki’s brother Shivam told the police;
He told Pinki was living in a flat in sector 3, Vaishali area. She was in a relationship with one Sakib for the past 4 four years and under his influence, she left home. They lived together.
Sakib used to torture, Pinki and force her to commit suicide. He was accompanied by his father, Mustafa, in this crime. On August 31, he visited her flat and after he left, Pinki’s body was found hanging from the ceiling fan of her room.
As per the FIR, both Sakib and his father Mustafa have been booked under IPC Section 306 (abetment to suicide).
The Ghaziabad police also issued an official statement informing about the arrest of the accused. The statement can be seen below:
दिनांक 31.8.23 की रात्रि को थाना कौशाम्बी क्षेत्रान्तर्गत एक युवती द्वारा आत्महत्या किये जाने की सूचना प्राप्त हुई थी।शव को पोस्टमार्टम हेतु भेजकर परिजनों की तहरीर के आधार पर तत्काल अभियोग पंजीकृत किया गया था।अभियोग के मुख्य आरोपी को गिरफ्तार किया गया है।
बाइट~एसीपी इन्दिरापुरम pic.twitter.com/rVkJHGG9vX— POLICE COMMISSIONERATE GHAZIABAD (@ghaziabadpolice) September 1, 2023
What says the victim’s family?
On September 2, this correspondent called Pinki’s brother Shivam, who works as a driver in Delhi. His family lives in Vaishali and runs a fruit shop. Pinki, who worked as a receptionist, also lived with the family but some time ago she moved to a new flat that was a few kilometres from where they lived.
Shivam said, Pinki has known this man (Sakib) for years, he used to visit their house and introduce himself as Banni. He never told them his original name, Sakib Khan. Pinki used to call him a friend and hence they never questioned much about him.
He added, “A few months back, I came to know that Banni was actually Sakib Khan. So, I confronted her and told her that these Muslims cannot be trusted and, that she should cut all ties with him. But Pinki was adamant and manipulated to the extent that she could not listen to him. It was then, she left home”.
He added, “Pinki has been living in her new flat for the past few months only. The claims about her live-in relationship for four years with the man are not true. He had told the police that Sakib killed her and that she had known him for 4 years, not that she had been living with him for 4 years”.
He added, “She left the family almost three months back and only then he might have lived with her”.
He alleged, that Pinki had not committed suicide, as he believed Sakib had killed her. Her body shared another tale, he added. It does not look like a suicide.
He accused Sakib’s father Mustafa who used to instigate Pinki to commit suicide, they had been torturing her, he used to say, “Go kill yourself but leave Sakib”.
Pinki’s mother told media that, “He coerced her into a relationship by tricking her. It was at his instigation that she ended her life,” she alleged.
She cried, “Shakib should be hanged. We want justice. Shakib’s family members should also be jailed.”
This correspondent asked Shivami if he was aware of the term called ‘Love Jihad’ to which he responded with a yes. He said. “My sister has been a victim of love jihad. The man Sakib introduced himself as Banni, he lured her to a relationship and manipulated her to the extent that she stopped listening to the family members”.
He also added that, Sakib was a married man and that he found this out only after he reached his house, while police teams were raiding the locality to arrest him. He said, “I had warned her. The moment I learned his true name I asked her to stop talking to him but she was crazy about him, he became her everything”.
A local newspaper has also quoted her suicide letter, which says, “I became a fool in your love, my family and friends kept telling me but I turned blind for you. I even decided to convert to Islam for you but you cheated on me. I am ashamed of myself, goodbye Sakib”. (The authenticity of the letter is not proven yet)
Pinki and Sakib’s Instagram
Organiser accessed the social media accounts of both the accused and the victim on September 2. Sakib’s Instagram bio reads, “A true Muslim” whereas Pinki’s bio reads, “A true Hindu”.
Pinki’s brother told this correspondent that he also runs a handle with the name Baddi. Organiser could not find that account.
Organiser did find some posts on Pinki’s handle that show how she was groomed to believe in Islam. She has a childhood friend, as confirmed by her brother Shivam, but he could not exactly tell if Sakib was somehow linked to her.
Pinki has posted pictures with this Muslim girl, and other pictures in the Hijab with captions like, “Pyaar wahi jo izzat kare”, “Mommedian look” etc.
It is noteworthy that, the police teams are investigating the murder angle. The CCTV footage of the locality will also be considered. The police have also recovered a diary from Pinki’s room, the contents of which are not made available in the media.
Another interfaith murder
In May this year, a ghastly murder was reported from the Shahbad Dairy area of Delhi where a minor Hindu girl was buldogened to death by Mohammad Sahil. Sakshi was stabbed over 16 times and bludgeoned to death with a cement slab allegedly by Sahil on May 28. A day later, Sahil was arrested by the police in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr. The 20-year-old was a fridge-AC repairing mechanic. Sahil and the minor victim were allegedly in a relationship and had an argument a day before the grisly murder.
