India man kills partner, keeps her body in refrigerator

A man was arrested in India’s Dehli city for allegedly killing his live-in partner and kept driving with her body next to him, for nearly 40 km within the national capital to stuffing her body in a refrigerator at his dhaba (eatery) in southwest Delhi.

According to the preliminary investigation by Indian police officials, a 26-year-old accused namely Sahil Gehlot, murdered his live-in partner identified as Nikki Yadav on the intervening night of February 9 and 10 and married another woman the same day.

The incident came to light on Valentine’s Day (February 14), four days after Sahil murdered Nikki and stuffed her body inside a refrigerator at his eatery and locked the dhaba (eatery) since the day of the incident.

Special Commissioner of Indian Police (Crime) Ravindra Singh Yadav told Indian media that on February 10, Nikki’s family approached the police after they failed to contact her for the last 24 hours. The police reached Sahil’s dhaba (eatery) after they traced the deceased’s phone to the location.

The body was found intact inside the refrigerator and had started decomposing at a slow pace, police said, adding only strangulation marks were found on her body.

Sahil was then arrested and during interrogations, he confessed to killing his live-in partner.

“During interrogation, the accused initially tried to mislead police, but later he disclosed that he killed his girlfriend on the intervening night of February 9 and 10 and kept her body in a refrigerator at his dhaba (eatery),” the officer said.

The interrogation further revealed that the accused murderer Sahil and Nikki had an argument after the latter learned about her partner’s wedding plans. Thereafter, Sahil asked Nikki out and they went on a drive. Sometime later, Sahil murdered his live-in partner in the car using a mobile phone charger and kept driving with her body next to him, for nearly 40 km within Delhi.

The 26-year-old accused told Delhi Police that he met the victim, Nikki Yadav at a coaching centre back in 2018. Sometime later, they entered a relationship and started living together in a rented house.

Sahil Gahlot said that his family was putting pressure on him to get married to some other woman. Finally, in December 2022, the engagement and marriage of the accused were fixed for February 9 and 10, respectively.

The accused did not inform Nikki about his engagement or marriage plans. Somehow, she came to know about this and confronted the accused and arguments started between the two.

Sahil disclosed to the police that he strangulated Nikki with a data cable kept in his car and after dumping the victim’s body, Sahil went back to his home and solemnised his marriage with another woman.

A case was booked against Sahil under sections 302 and 201 under the Indian Penal Code (IPC).