India
'He'll cut me into pieces': Walkar's old letter to police
In another shocking development in the Shraddha Walkar murder case, a two-year-old police complaint by the victim has been dug up by investigators and is raising eyebrows. Walker, in her complaint to Tulinj police in her hometown of Maharashtra's Vasai, had alleged that her boyfriend, Aaftab Poonawalla, would kill her and chop her into pieces and throw her away.
Why does this story matter?
- Poonawalla was arrested by the police on November 12 for the alleged murder of Walkar on May 18, chopping the dead body into pieces, and then disposing of it over 18-20 days at the Mehrauli forest in Delhi after freezing it in a fridge.
- The two, who first met in Mumbai, moved to Delhi earlier this year after Walkar's parents disapproved of their relationship.
Walkar's 2020 letter predicts her future
Walker had written this complaint on November 23, 2020, to the police after Poonawalla beat her up at the flat they shared. She also alleged that Poonawalla's family knew about his violent behavior, as per reports. Meanwhile, the local police stated that Walkar wrote another statement saying, "We no longer have any quarrel," and asked for no further action.
Content of Walkar's letter
"Today he tried to kill me by suffocating me and he scares me and blackmails me that he will kill me, cut me up in pieces and throw me away," the letter reads. "It's been six months he has been hitting me but I did not have the guts to go to the police because he would threaten to kill me," it further states.
'His parents are aware that he beats me,' wrote Walkar
Even after the 2020 complaint revealed Poonawalla was "blackmailing" and assaulting her "for six months," the couple still did not end their relationship. "His parents are aware that he beats me and that he tried to kill me. They also know about us living together and they visit on weekends," the victim's letter to the police further added.
Police should've acted on time: Ex-Maharashtra DGP
Former Maharashtra Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Dixit, while reacting to this letter, stated that the police should've acted on time upon receiving the letter. "If police have acted on time, the gruesome murder could have been prevented," Dixit told Times Now.
Happened in the heat of the moment: Poonawalla to court
On Tuesday, the Saket Court extended Poonawalla's police custody for four days. The accused, during the hearing, said that his actions weren't "deliberate." Meanwhile, Poonawalla's lawyer told the court, "Whatever happened...it was in the heat of the moment," and stated he had since "fully cooperated" with the cops. Previously, Delhi Police alleged Poonawalla confessed his plans to kill Walkar a week before.
Know what led to Walkar's murder
On May 18, Poonawalla and Walkar allegedly got into a fight at their Chhattarpur Pahari flat as the victim wanted to bring some household items from their hometown. In an attempt to restrain Walkar, the accused ended up strangling her to death when she began yelling. After her murder, Poonawalla also transferred Rs. 54,000 from Walkar's bank account online to himself.
