Dehradun, March 19:
The Dehradun Police have cracked a sensational blind murder case in the Premnagar area, revealing that the victim was killed by her own husband.
According to police, the body of an unidentified woman was found on March 11 near the Balasundari Temple AREA on Manduwala Road, stuffed inside a white plastic sack. A quilt was also found nearby, apparently used to cover the body. Due to decomposition and damage to the face, the woman could not be identified initially. Postmortem confirmed death by strangulation.
Considering the seriousness of the case, the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) formed eight investigation teams. Around 2,500 CCTV footages were examined, and a large-scale verification drive was conducted across more than 30 slum areas, covering over 5,000 people.
During the investigation, police received information from the Koswali Kothri area about a laborer whose wife had suddenly gone missing, while his infant child was seen with another woman. On questioning the contractor, it was revealed that the laborer, identified as Ranjeet Sharma, had two wives, and his first wife Roopa, who had recently come to stay with him, was missing.
Acting on suspicion, police detained Ranjeet Sharma from Bhatowala. During interrogation, he confessed to murdering his first wife, Roopa. He stated that he married Roopa in 2009, but she had eloped with another man four years ago. He later remarried.
About a year ago, Roopa reconnected with him and arrived in Dehradun in February 2026 with their 11-month-old daughter. She was pressuring him to leave his second wife, leading to frequent disputes.
On the night of March 5, during an argument, Ranjeet strangled Roopa to death. He then packed the body in a sack and hid it in a room for four days, covering it with a quilt. On March 8, he transported the body on a motorcycle and dumped it in a forest near Sheetla Mata Temple.
Police said the accused believed he would escape as the victim was new to the area and largely unknown locally. However, sustained investigation led to the breakthrough.
The accused, Ranjeet Sharma (32), a native of Saharsa, Bihar, currently residing in Bhatowala, Dehradun, has been arrested. The deceased has been identified as Roopa (32). Police officials have announced cash rewards for the team involved in solving the case.
