Delhi murder: Poonawalla invited dates to house after killing Shraddha
After the bone-chilling murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner Aftab Ameen Poonawalla in Delhi came to the fore, it was also learned that the accused had dates come over to their house while Walkar's dismembered body parts were stuffed in a fridge. From being inspired by Dexter to how he plotted the disposal, here are more details that reflect his psychopathic tendencies.
Why does this story matter?
- The Delhi Police arrested Poonawalla on Saturday for murdering Walkar in May, chopping up her body into 35 pieces, and then disposing of it in a forest.
- The couple had met years ago while working at a Mumbai call center.
- After a few years of their relationship, they moved to Delhi as the parents of the deceased didn't approve of their relationship.
Inspired by 'Dexter,' studied anatomy
The Delhi Police said that Poonawalla revealed he was inspired by Dexter—an American TV show about a psychopath leading a double life. His internet search history reflected that he looked up human anatomy to chop Walkar's body and ways to clean blood. He ground the victim's intestines to keema and kept cold drinks near her severed head in a fridge bought after the murder.
Accused used to assault her: Victim's friends
Walkar's friends from her hometown, Palghar in Maharashtra, told ANI the couple had been together since 2018. One of her friends, Rajat Shukla, said initially, they were happy together, but later Walkar told them that the accused used to beat her up, and she wanted to ditch him but couldn't do so. Another friend, Laxman Nadir, said they once warned Poonawalla against assaulting her.
Disposed body parts one by one
Cops found 13 body parts of Walkar—mostly bones—which Poonawalla dumped in the woods in Delhi's Chhatarpur Pahadi area over 18-20 days after murdering her on May 18, per The Indian Express. After chopping the body using a saw, he went out every night to dispose of the body parts one by one. He used incense, potpourri, and room fresheners to mask the corpse's stench.
How did the murder happen?
The couple reportedly got into a fight on May 18. When Walkar began shouting, Poonawalla tried to muzzle her to ensure neighbors didn't hear anything and ended up strangulating her. Though Walkar had stopped talking to her family, she used to post pictures on Facebook, which kept her family apprised of her whereabouts. When she didn't post anything for days, her family grew suspicious.
Her family filed a missing case in May
Walkar's family lodged a missing complaint in Mumbai in May. Last week, the family visited the couple's rented house in Delhi but found it locked. Then the Mumbai Police coordinated with the Delhi Police, following which a kidnapping case was filed and Poonawalla was arrested. He confessed to the crime, and police found related evidence. Efforts to recover the remaining body parts are on.
