AURAIYA, March 25, 2025: In another chilling case of love turning lethal in Uttar Pradesh, a woman allegedly plotted and executed her husband’s murder just 15 days after their wedding. The motive? To eliminate him as an obstacle to her illicit relationship with a former lover.
The incident, reminiscent of the ongoing Meerut Saurabh murder case, unfolded in Siyapur village of Auraiya district, where the newlywed bride Pragati Yadav allegedly paid ₹2 lakh as supari (contract killing money) to have her husband Dilip killed. She was arrested on Monday along with her lover Anurag alias Bablu alias Manoj Yadav, and a contract killer Ramji Nagar.
The Shocking Plot Unfolds
According to SP Abhijit R. Shankar, Pragati Yadav married 21-year-old Dilip, a resident of Sehud Mandir area in Dibiyapur, on March 5, 2025. However, she was reportedly unhappy in the marriage and maintained an ongoing illicit relationship with her village acquaintance Anurag.
Finding it difficult to meet after marriage, the couple conspired to eliminate Dilip. Anurag contacted Ramji Nagar, offering ₹2 lakh to carry out the killing, with ₹1 lakh paid in advance by Pragati and the remainder promised upon completion of the act.
The Murder
On March 19, Dilip left for a construction site near Shah Nagar in Kannauj in his Hydra machine, part of his family’s business. While returning, he stopped near a hotel along the Patna canal in Sahar. There, a group of men on motorcycles approached him under the pretext of needing help to pull out a stuck car.
They convinced Dilip to accompany them, and shortly after, he was found in a critical condition near Piparoli village, around 7 km from the hotel. He had been shot point-blank in the head.
Police rushed him to CHC Bidhuna, later transferring him to Saifai Medical College. Despite efforts to save him, Dilip succumbed to his injuries on March 22.
How Police Cracked the Case
Following the murder, police used call records and local informants to trace the suspects. The breakthrough came when the killers returned to collect their pending payment, and were apprehended by Sahar Police.
Under interrogation, Anurag, Ramji Nagar, and Pragati confessed to their roles in the murder. SP Shankar confirmed that more arrests are likely, as other individuals may have aided the conspiracy.
The Aftermath
Investigations revealed that Pragati continued to communicate with Anurag even after her husband’s death, frequently changing SIM cards to avoid detection. Police also found she showed no visible remorse after the murder, and her family was aware of her past with Anurag but chose to marry her off to Dilip instead.
A Pattern of Crimes in UP?
This case emerges at a time when multiple incidents across Uttar Pradesh are pointing to wives turning killers for lovers. Just like the Meerut Saurabh murder, where a wife and her lover were arrested for orchestrating the husband’s killing, the Auraiya case adds to a growing list of shocking betrayal-driven murders in the state.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
