In an unexpected series of events in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a six-year-old child’s innocent statement led to uncovering a gruesome murder. The child told neighbors that her “papa is in the drum.”
Even though her father, Saurabh Rajput, a 29-year-old former merchant navy officer, was brutally killed a week before. Authorities say that Saurabh’s wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, plotted and staged the murder for over a month. Shockingly, this was while hiding Saurabh’s dismembered body filled with cement in a drum inside their home.
The Grim Realization
This awful sequence of events came to light when neighbors, taken aback by the child’s statement, alerted police officers. Upon investigation, officers discovered Saurabh’s remains stuffed in cement inside a blue plastic drum.
The remains were dismembered and left to decompose for nearly two weeks before being found on March 18, 2025. The victim returned from London on February 24, intending to surprise his wife for her birthday the next day. While entirely unaware of the deadly events that would lead to his demise.
Plotting and Scheming
It has now been determined that Muskan and Sahil had planned the murder since November 2024. The two purchased knives, sedatives, and locations to dispose of Saurabh’s body and mapped out every aspect of the plan.
On the night of March 4, they are said to have slipped Saurabh the sedative in his drink. Once he was incapacitated, Muskan stabbed him to death, cut up the body, and sealed the parts in a drum filled with cement.
They intended to dispose of the body later but were foiled by the child’s disclosure.
Family Accusations and Rejecting Blame
The victim’s mother, Renu Devi, has accused Muskan’s parents of participating in the crime. She alleges that Muskan’s parents knew about the murder before the police were notified but remained silent to protect their daughter from justice.
Muskan’s parents deny these claims, are in shock, and want their daughter and her boyfriend to be put to death. Muskan’s parents also labeled their daughter as someone “unfit for society” and contended that they knew nothing of the events before their outcome.
Public Outrage and Judicial Action
The horrific aspect of the murder has incited widespread rage. When Muskan and Sahil were taken to court, a group of lawyers attacked them, showing the public rage towards injustice. The Chief Judicial Magistrate has remanded both accused to 14 days of judicial custody as investigations are ongoing.
In jail, Muskan has reportedly been severely disturbed, crying all night and refusing to eat, which may suggest she was very remorseful or scared of what may come next.
The Unpleasant Influence
In further investigations, it was uncovered that Sahil had introduced Muskan to drug use, which then made her addicted to this substance use. Allegedly, this addiction led to her involvement in the crime.
Police reports indicated that Muskan had used manipulative tactics on Sahil. She created a fake Snapchat account and pretended to be his deceased mother, telling him that she approved of them being together and planned to murder someone.
The Call to Justice
The investigation continues, and there is a family plea for timely and severe justice. The families are asking for the maximum penalty for the accused, given the severity of the crime and the impact on the lives of people in the community. This case highlights the depths of human depravity and the innocent lives that pay the price for such actions.
