Prayagraj: The sacred waters of the Mahakumbh became the backdrop for a sinister crime when a Delhi man allegedly murdered his wife under the guise of a spiritual pilgrimage. The suspect, 48-year-old Ashok Kumar, meticulously planned the crime, attempting to pass off his wife&rsquo;s disappearance as an unfortunate mishap in the massive religious gathering. But his deception began to crumble when his own son started questioning his version of events. &nbsp;
Murder at the Mahakumbh 
According to the police, Ashok, a sanitation worker from Trilokpuri, Delhi, arrived in Prayagraj on February 17 with his wife, Meenakshi (40), telling family and friends they were visiting the Mahakumbh to bathe in the holy confluence. The couple checked into a hotel in Jhunsi on February 18, appearing like any other devoted pilgrims. However, behind closed doors, tensions escalated. That night, a dispute erupted between them. &nbsp;
When Meenakshi stepped into the bathroom, Ashok saw his chance. With cold precision, he grabbed a knife and attacked her from behind, slitting her throat. As his wife bled to death, he set about covering his tracks&mdash;changing his bloodstained clothes, wrapping the murder weapon in them, and disposing of any evidence that could incriminate him. &nbsp;
The Deception Begins&nbsp;&nbsp;
The next morning, Ashok staged an elaborate ruse. He called his son, claiming that Meenakshi had gone missing in the fair. He even filed a missing person report at a police station, painting himself as a worried husband frantically searching for his wife. To further bolster his alibi, he uploaded a video on social media&mdash;one from their hotel room, showing the couple seemingly happy, and another of them bathing at the Mahakumbh. His plan was meticulous, but he hadn&rsquo;t accounted for one thing&mdash;his son&rsquo;s suspicions. &nbsp;
A Son&rsquo;s Relentless Search 
As Ashok returned to Delhi, leaving his wife&rsquo;s body behind, his son, Ashwin, grew uneasy. The pieces of his father&rsquo;s story didn&rsquo;t add up. Determined to find his mother, he travelled to Prayagraj himself, carrying photographs of Meenakshi and questioning locals. &nbsp;
Meanwhile, police were conducting their own investigation. When hotel staff alerted authorities about a foul smell coming from a locked bathroom, officers forced their way inside&mdash;only to discover Meenakshi&rsquo;s lifeless body. Surveillance footage from the area soon contradicted Ashok&rsquo;s statements, making him the prime suspect. &nbsp;
A Web of Lies Unravels
On February 21, Meenakshi&rsquo;s brother and two sons arrived at the Jhunsi police station, where they were shown photos of the unidentified woman found murdered. A single glance was enough&mdash;Meenakshi had been found. &nbsp;
With mounting evidence against him, Ashok was arrested, and during interrogation, he confessed. His motive? An extramarital affair. For three months, he had plotted his wife&rsquo;s murder, viewing the Mahakumbh&rsquo;s chaos as the perfect cover. His goal was clear&mdash;eliminate his wife and continue his illicit relationship without interference. &nbsp;
Justice Within 48 Hours
DCP Abhishek Bharti, who led the investigation, praised the swift resolution of the case. &ldquo;Thanks to the joint efforts of the Jhunsi Police, SOG Nagar, and Surveillance Cell Nagar, we solved this blind murder in just 48 hours,&rdquo;&nbsp;he stated. &nbsp;
What Ashok thought would be the perfect crime had unravelled in record time. Now, instead of starting a new life with his lover, he faces the weight of justice, leaving behind a grieving family and a chilling cautionary tale of betrayal, deception, and murder. &nbsp;

Ashok Kumar (48) had wanted to start a new life with his lover

An unfaithful husband’s chilling plot unravels in Prayagraj on his son’s suspicions

When A Holy Journey Turns Deadly

An unfaithful husband’s chilling plot unravels in Prayagraj on his son’s suspicions

February 24, 2025 | 13:27 IST