Murder of Shraddha Walkar

Shraddha Walkar was a 27-year-old Indian woman who was murdered by her 28-year-old boyfriend and live-in partner Aaftab Amin Poonawala in Delhi on 18 May 2022.^[1].^[2]

Shraddha Walkar
Born	1995 Maharashtra, India
Died	May 18, 2022(2022-05-18) (aged 26–27) Delhi, India
Cause of death	Strangulation in domestic violence
Occupation	Call center employee

Incident

The case only came to light nearly six months after the murder, when Shraddha's father lodged a missing persons complaint after learning from Shraddha's friends that they were unable to contact her for over two-and-a-half months.^[3] On 18 May 2022, 28-year-old Aaftab Poonawala strangled his live-in partner Shraddha over an argument and then proceeded to dismember her body into 35 pieces, allegedly charring her face to hide her identity.^[4][3] A 300-litre fridge was used to store her body parts,^[5][6] which were individually disposed in the Chhatarpur forest over the next 18 days, at around 2 AM every night to avoid suspicion.^[7][8]

Poonawala was arrested by the Delhi Police on 12 November 2022.^[9] Shraddha's father has demanded the death penalty for Aaftab.^[10]

Shraddha Walkar

Shraddha Walkar lived with her family until 2018, which consisted of her mother and brother in Vasai, Palghar District, Maharashtra. She studied in a convent school in Vasai and took admission in a BMM course in Viva Institute of Technology, Virar. She later dropped out from the course. Her father, Vikas Walkar, lived separately and operated an electronics service business. While working at a call centre of an MNC in Malad, Shraddha met Aaftab Amin Poonawala via the Bumble app. Aaftab is also resident of Vasai. He went to L.S. Raheja College for BMM studies. He, coincidentally, also worked at the same call centre. In 2019, she moved out to live with him, against her family's wishes, who opposed the interfaith relationship and the idea of living-in with someone "she barely knew".^[11]

Friends and family of Shraddha have further accused Poonawala of physically abusing Walkar regularly prior to the murder.^{[12] [13]}

Accused

Aaftab Poonawala worked at the same MNC call center as Shraddha Walkar. He confessed to the murder after the police discovered discrepancies in his statements and recovered evidence of the murder. He was then taken to the forest to identify Shraddha's remains.^{[14][15][16][17]}

Aaftab Amin Poonawalla was charged by Delhi police for killing Shraddha Walkar and chopping her body in May 2022. The chargesheet was based on evidence and witness testimony. Police allege he strangled Shraddha and disposed of remains. Aaftab was arrested after investigation found last location in Delhi.^[18]

Reactions

Kaushal Kishore, the Union Minister of State for Housing and Urban Affair, said that couples who wish to live together must register in court or should have proper registration. He also added that women should stay away from such live-in relationships.^[19][20]

References

1. "Delhi Murder: Mumbai youth Aaftab threw body parts of Shraddha everyday in Chhatarpur forest hoping animals would eat them". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
2. Team, DNA Web (15 November 2022). "Shraddha Walker murder: Who is Aftaab Poonawala, Instagram celebrity with 28,000 followers and murder accused?". DNA India. Retrieved 11 January 2024.
3. "Man Killed Partner In Delhi, Dumped Body Pieces At 2 am For 18 Days: Cops". NDTV.com. Retrieved 14 November 2022.
4. "Shraddha murder case: Charred her face to hide identity, confesses Aftab". The Economic Times. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
5. "Delhi Murder: Aftab used to SLAP the severed head of Shraddha kept in fridge, Unlimited CRUELTY inside Hate Story 2022". Zee News. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
6. "Woman's murder by live-in partner: How horror unfolded in a first-floor flat, under nose of neighbours". The Indian Express. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
7. "Delhi Murder: Mumbai youth Aaftab threw body parts of Shraddha everyday in Chhatarpur forest hoping animals would eat them". Free Press Journal. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
8. "Shraddha Walkar murder: Police widen search, focus on skulls found across Delhi". The Indian Express. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
9. "Shraddha Walker Murder Case LIVE Updates: Aaftab taken to jungle by Delhi police where he disposed body parts". DNA India. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
10. "'We demand death penalty': Father of woman murdered by live-in partner in Delhi". Hindustan Times. 15 November 2022. Retrieved 15 November 2022.
11. "Shraddha murder case: Forget I am your daughter, she had said & left home | Mumbai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 November 2022. When the family opposed Shraddha's decision, "she told us that she was 25 years old and had the right to take decisions pertaining to her life", the father said. Then saying she was no longer their daughter, the girl left the house.
12. "Delhi Fridge Murder: Victim Was Hospitalised In 2020 For "Internal Injuries"". NDTV.com. Retrieved 19 November 2022.
13. "Shraddha murder case: Forget I am your daughter, she had said & left home | Mumbai News - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 21 November 2022. "I told her to leave Aaftab and stay back at home but she returned after Aaftab apologised," said Walkar. Later, Shraddha's friends, Shivani Mahatre alsosaid he often thrashed her.
14. "'Shraddha murder case: This is how Delhi Police caught Aaftab Poonawalla's lie". IndiaTimes. 17 November 2022. Retrieved 17 November 2022.
15. "Shraddha Walker case.", Sourcebook Criminal Law, Routledge-Cavendish, pp. 124–127, 9 August 1996, doi:10.4324/9781843143093-68, ISBN 978-1-84314-309-3, retrieved 30 November 2022
16. Ray, Anshu (29 November 2022). "'No regret even if hanged, will get hoors in Jannat,' says Aftab during polygraph test, report says - North East Business Mirror". Retrieved 30 November 2022.
17. "Shraddha Murder Case: फांसी भी मिली तो अफसोस नहीं, जन्नत में मिलेगी हूर; आफताब ने दिया चौंकाने वाला बयान". Dainik Jagran (in Hindi). Retrieved 30 November 2022.
18. "chargesheet of witnesses". The Times of India.
19. "Shraddha Walkar Murder: Now, Union Minister Blames Live-In Relationships For Rising Crimes". MSN.com. Retrieved 18 November 2022.
20. "श्रद्धा मर्डर केस : आफताब ने 2020 में भी हत्या का प्रयास किया था। - JADOLYA" (in Hindi). Retrieved 27 November 2022.