Ranit Kr. Singh , Lucknow - The Uttar Pradesh Police have booked a man and his second wife for the alleged murder of his 17-year-old daughter, Khushi, in the Bhavanpur area of Meerut district. The incident came to light after the teenager died under suspicious circumstances on Monday night, following which her father, Kapil Bhardwaj, allegedly cremated the body at Brajghat without informing her maternal relatives. Additional Superintendent of Police Abhijeet Kumar confirmed that Bhardwaj has been detained and has confessed to the crime during interrogation, while his second wife, Pinki, has also been taken into custody for questioning.

The police launched an investigation after the victim's maternal uncle, Bhupendra Sharma, rushed from Hapur upon hearing the news and filed a formal complaint. Crucial evidence has emerged in the form of an audio recording, in which Khushi is purportedly heard pleading with her maternal aunt to rescue her from the house, stating that her father and stepmother would otherwise kill her. A case under relevant sections, including murder, has been registered against both the accused at the Bhavanpur police station.

Sharma alleged that his niece had been subjected to severe harassment for several years by the couple. Furthermore, he expressed suspicion over the 2017 death of his sister, Preeti, who was Bhardwaj’s first wife. The couple has another child, a son named Radhe, who lived with them in Gokuldham Society. The local police stated that further investigations are actively underway to uncover more details regarding the prolonged harassment and the exact circumstances leading to the teenager's death.