A Delhi Police constable, who allegedly shot dead his wife with his service pistol on a road in east Delhi’s Kalyanpuri early Monday, was found shot dead near a luxury hotel in Mayur Vihar on Tuesday evening, bringing an end to a nearly 40-hour manhunt, senior police officers said.
The officer, 32, died by suicide using the same service pistol with which he is suspected of killing his wife, also 32, police said. A passerby found his body in a parking lot around 6 p.m.
A service pistol was found near his body. However, police said the scooter he was riding when he killed his wife and fled the scene has not been found at the parking site.
The policeman was found dead
Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Rajeev Kumar confirmed that the policeman, who was wanted in connection with the murder of his wife, was found dead.
“A police officer and other personnel were patrolling parks and streets when they were alerted about a person lying motionless in the parking lot with a gunshot wound to his right temple. The personnel reached the spot and found him dead,” Kumar said. They identified him and informed senior officers immediately.”
Prima facie, it appears that the policeman shot himself 10 to 15 minutes before his body was discovered, Kumar said. The exact time of death will be determined by an autopsy.
“We have initiated investigation procedures and informed his relatives. We are now trying to ascertain where he went and stayed after killing his wife in the early hours of Monday. CCTV footage is being scanned to determine his path,” Kumar said.
Police investigations
Suspecting that he may have fled Delhi and may be hiding in Uttar Pradesh, police sent teams to Greater Noida, Ghaziabad and Hapur to search for him.
The process of issuing a Control Circular (LoC) has also begun, a police officer said.
The family reacts
Nitin, the wife’s brother, said the police informed him of his death on Tuesday evening. He said: “Now that my sister’s killer has killed himself, we have got justice for her. We do not want to pursue her murder case any further.”
