A court in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has handed down death sentences to a woman and her boyfriend for the premeditated murder of her husband. Muskan Rastogi, 26, and Sahil Shukla, 28, were convicted in connection with the 2025 killing of Saurabh Rajput in the city of Meerut. The high-profile case gained widespread media attention as the "blue drum murder" after the victim's body was discovered stuffed inside a large plastic storage container.

Prosecution arguments revealed that Rastogi and Shukla had been school classmates who grew close while Rajput was away working in London. Although Rajput discovered the affair in 2021 and initially sought a divorce, family members persuaded him to stay together for the sake of their young daughter. The murder ultimately took place on March 3, 2025, when Rajput was visiting Meerut, with investigators stating he was subdued using sedatives laced into his food before being killed.

Following the crime, the pair fled to Himachal Pradesh while using the victim's mobile phone to send deceptive text messages to his relatives, creating a false impression that he was alive and traveling on business. Suspicion grew when Rajput's family filed a missing person report, and the plot unraveled after Rastogi returned and was questioned following inquiries from her six-year-old child. Rastogi ultimately confessed during police interrogation, leading to both suspects' immediate arrest and prosecution.

Wednesday's capital punishment verdicts remain subject to confirmation by the high court, and the defendants retain the legal option to challenge the outcome. Family members of the victim expressed outrage over the cruelty of the act, while Rastogi's own father publicly denounced her actions, stating she was unfit for society. Authorities also noted that Rastogi gave birth to a second child while detained in prison awaiting trial.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk