Meerut, Uttar Pradesh: A Meerut court has handed the death sentence to a woman and her boyfriend for killing her husband in 2025. The crime became known across India as the “blue drum murder”.
The convicts, Muskan Rastogi, 26, and Sahil Shukla, 28, were found guilty on September 30. The sentences were announced on Wednesday. The victim was Saurabh Rajput, Rastogi’s husband.
The case got its name because Rajput’s body was found inside a large blue plastic container, known locally as a drum.
The background
According to the prosecution, Rastogi and Shukla had studied in the same school and became close while Rajput was working in London.
Rajput found out about their affair in 2021. He wanted a divorce, but his family talked him out of it because the couple had a young daughter.
On March 3, 2025, Rajput was visiting Meerut. Police said Rastogi gave him food laced with sedatives before he was killed.
The cover-up
Rastogi and Shukla then left for Himachal Pradesh. Police said they used Rajput’s phone to text his family, making it look like he was alive and away on business.
The trick did not last. A few days later, Rajput’s family went to the police and reported him missing.
A child’s question
Things changed on March 17. Rastogi had come back from Himachal Pradesh and went to see her parents. Her six-year-old daughter asked where her father was.
Rastogi first blamed her in-laws for her husband’s death. Her parents did not believe her and took her to the police station. During questioning, she confessed. She and Shukla were arrested and charged with murder.
What the families say
Rajput’s brother told BBC Hindi that his brother was killed by “cruel people”. Rastogi’s own parents have also asked for strict action. Her father told news agency ANI that she was not fit for society and was a danger to others.
What comes next
The legal process is not over. In India, a death sentence from a trial court has to be confirmed by the high court. Rastogi and Shukla can also challenge the verdict.
One more detail from the case: Rastogi gave birth to a second child while she was in jail.
