In the quiet city of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a chilling tale of love gone wrong, betrayal, and cold-blooded murder unfolded that has left a community devastated and a family forever torn apart. The brutal murder of 29-year-old Merchant Navy officer, Saurabh Rajput, by his wife, Muskaan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla, has revealed the darkest sides of human nature. What makes this murder even more appalling is the cold, calculated way it was planned—over months, with sedatives, lies, and manipulation.
This gruesome crime has not only shocked the public but also exposed the dark undercurrents of marital discord, drug abuse, and a web of deceit that ultimately led to the tragic death of a man who gave up everything for the woman he loved.
A Marriage That Ended in Betrayal and Murder
Saurabh Rajput and Muskaan Rastogi had a love marriage in 2016 against his family's wishes. In his pursuit of love, he not only distanced himself from his parents but also left his lucrative Merchant Navy job to spend more time with his wife. However, his sacrifices were met with betrayal and deceit.
By 2019, Muskaan rekindled her relationship with Sahil Shukla, an old school friend. Their illicit affair, fueled by drug addiction, led to tensions between Muskaan and Saurabh. As the rift grew, Saurabh decided to rejoin the Merchant Navy and moved abroad.
But Muskaan had already set her mind on eliminating him. Her twisted plan was months in the making.
The Chilling Plan: A Wife’s Betrayal
According to police investigations, Muskaan began plotting the murder as early as November 2024. She manipulated Sahil into believing that his deceased mother was speaking to him through Snapchat, urging him to help Muskaan get rid of her husband.
The horrifying details of the four-month-long planning phase include:
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November 2024: Muskaan began plotting Saurabh’s murder.
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February 22, 2025: On February 22, just days before Saurabh returned home, Muskaan bought two large knives for ₹800, telling the shopkeeper they were for cutting chicken.
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Fake Anxiety and Drugging: She also faked anxiety symptoms to obtain banned sleep-inducing drugs from a local pharmacy.
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Finding a body disposal site: Muskaan looked for burial sites, asking friends for help in finding a location to dispose of a body, using the excuse that she needed a place to bury items from a prayer rite. No one suspected her sinister intentions.
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Creating a fake alibi: She planned to use Saurabh’s phone to mislead his family into thinking he had left for a trip.
This was not a crime of passion—it was a cold, calculated decision fueled by an extramarital affair and an addiction to drugs.
#Meerut, the wife and her lover, accused of murdering her husband, were beaten up by lawyers when they were presented in the court. The lawyers attacked the accused Sahil and his girlfriend, who is also the wife of the deceased, who were brought for the hearing. pic.twitter.com/ZmnIzob77O— Aadhan Telugu (@AadhanTelugu) March 20, 2025
The Failed First Attempt
Saurabh returned home on February 24, 2024, to celebrate his daughter’s 6th birthday on February 28. His wife, however, was already making attempts on his life.
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February 25: Muskaan laced Saurabh’s drink with sedatives. However, he didn’t drink enough and only fell into a deep sleep instead of losing consciousness.
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March 4: The second attempt was successful. Muskaan drugged his food again, and this time, he became completely unconscious.
What followed was beyond horrifying.
The Gruesome Murder: A Brutal Act of Violence
On March 4, 2025, Muskaan and Sahil executed their cruel plot. After weeks of waiting for the perfect moment, the opportunity came, and they took it. Before committing the murder, Muskaan had also sent her 6-year-old daughter away to her grandmother’s house, ensuring there were no witnesses.
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Drugging Saurabh: On the fateful night, Muskaan drugged Saurabh, mixing the sedatives into his food and drink.
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The Brutality of the Act: Once Saurabh was unconscious, the couple stabbed him multiple times, ensuring his death before dismembering his body.
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Dismembering the Body: In an effort to conceal the crime, they dismembered Saurabh’s body into 15 pieces, which they then stuffed into a large drum. They sealed it with cement, hoping to keep the remains hidden from the world.
But no plan is foolproof. When the drum, which was unusually heavy, was moved by workers, a foul odour prompted them to alert the police. The crime came to light.
The Cover-Up of Murder: A Web of Lies
After committing such a monstrous act, Muskaan and Sahil desperately tried to cover their tracks. Muskaan went as far as creating a fabricated story to mislead Saurabh’s family and friends.
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Misleading Family: Muskaan was able to maintain the facade for several days, telling Saurabh’s sister, Chinki, that he was away on a trip to Manali for a vacation and would return after Holi. She claimed that he was unreachable and sent messages from his phone to convince his family he was alive and well.
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Fake vacation posts using Saurabh’s Phone: In a desperate attempt to maintain the illusion, Muskaan and Sahil traveled to Manali and uploaded pictures to Saurabh’s social media accounts, fooling his family into thinking he was simply away on vacation.
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The Suspicion Grows: When Saurabh’s family could no longer reach him, they filed a missing person’s report.
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Evading police suspicion: They returned to Meerut on March 17, thinking they had gotten away with the crime.
But their overconfidence was their downfall.
The Dark Influence of Addiction: Drugs, Deception and Psychological Manipulation
The murder was not just about violence; it was also about deception and control. Muskaan’s manipulative nature came to light through the details of her relationship with Sahil and her ability to influence those around her.
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Drug Addiction and Manipulation: Reports suggest that Sahil and Muskaan had regular drug sessions, during which they would smoke marijuana. This drug-fueled lifestyle seemed to have clouded their judgment, leading them to commit a heinous crime. The two shared a toxic bond, and Muskaan had allegedly gotten addicted to drugs through Sahil, who had introduced her to narcotics.
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Psychological Control: In one of the most disturbing revelations, Muskaan used Snapchat to manipulate Sahil. She tricked him into believing that his deceased mother was communicating with him from the afterlife, sending messages through a fake account. This was not just deceit—it was a terrifying manipulation that helped her push him toward committing murder.
It is chilling to think that not only was a marriage destroyed, but two lives were ruined by a single woman’s desire for control and revenge.
#WATCH | Meerut, UP: A person named Saurabh Rajput, working in Merchant Navy was murdered by his wife Muskan and her partner Sahil on March 4. They dismembered his body, put it in a drum and sealed it with cement. Sahil and Muskan have been arrested and an FIR has been… pic.twitter.com/vCtZc4xxbp— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025
The Disturbing Role of Saurabh’s Daughter
Perhaps the most heartbreaking detail of this case is the involvement of Saurabh’s 6-year-old daughter. According to Renu Devi, Saurabh’s grieving mother, the child allegedly told neighbors, “Papa is in the drum.” Whether she understood the true horror of what had happened remains unclear, but the statement from a young child reveals an innocence lost far too soon.
The fact that the young girl might have known something about the crime only adds to the sorrow, making the loss even more tragic for the family.
The Tragic Discovery
It wasn’t long before the truth came to light. Labourers hired to move the suspiciously heavy drum found it to be unusually dense and reported the discovery to the police. What they uncovered was truly horrifying. The Discovery includes:
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The Drum: The labourers, noticing the heavy drum, raised an alarm when its lid accidentally opened, releasing a foul odour. The police were alerted, and what they discovered was a dismembered body, which was later confirmed to be Saurabh’s.
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Confessions: Under questioning, Muskaan and Sahil confessed to the brutal murder. The details were nothing short of chilling: they had drugged Saurabh, stabbed him to death, dismembered his body, and sealed it in cement, all while trying to cover their tracks with lies and fake social media posts.
#JUSTIN : Gruesome Murder in Meerut, Wife and Lover Arrested for Killing Merchant Navy Officer
In a shocking incident from Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a woman and her lover have been arrested for the brutal murder of her husband, Merchant Navy officer Saurabh Rajput. The crime came… pic.twitter.com/nmGIOqYasy— upuknews (@upuknews1) March 19, 2025
The Arrest and The Lawyer's Attack
The case has sparked not just public outrage but also incidents of violence in the courtroom. As Muskaan and Sahil were escorted for their court hearing, a group of lawyers attempted to assault them, demanding the harshest punishment possible. The attackers grabbed Sahil’s clothes, and the police had to intervene to protect the accused and ensure they were safely escorted to court.
This incident only adds to the growing anger and disgust felt by the public, who view the crime as an unforgivable betrayal of trust and humanity.
A 14-day judicial custody was granted for further investigation. But the damage has already been done, and the pain inflicted on Saurabh’s family is irreversible.
The Family's Reactions: Betrayal Beyond Words
The murder has left both families broken, devastated by the cruelty of Muskaan’s actions and the violent loss of a beloved son.
Muskaan's Parents- ‘Our Daughter Does Not Deserve to Live’
Muskaan’s own parents disowned her, expressing deep shame and anger.
Her father, Pramod Rastogi, called for the death penalty, stating:
“She has lost the right to live. Such a person does not deserve to walk the earth. Saurabh left everything for her, and she took his life in return.”
Her mother, Kavita Rastogi, echoed similar sentiments:
“It would have been better if she was never born.”
Saurabh's Parents- Death penalty for both Muskaan and Sahil
Saurabh’s family, already strained due to his distance from them after marrying Muskaan, was hit hard by the news. His mother, Renu Devi, spoke out in disbelief, demanding justice for her son. She was devastated not just by his death, but by the deep betrayal he had suffered from someone he had once trusted with his entire life.
Renu Devi, Saurabh’s mother, expressed her grief and anger, saying that her son had sacrificed everything for Muskaan, only to be betrayed in the most horrific way.
She said-
"Muskaan has killed our son. She doesn’t deserve to live."
His mother, Renu Devi, cried out for the death penalty for both Muskaan and Sahil.
#WATCH | Meerut, UP | Saurabh Rajput Murder case | Accused Muskan's father says, "My daughter (Muskan) killed her husband (Saurabh)... She is not fit for society, and she is dangerous to everyone. I would advise others not to take such steps...She should be hanged till death, and… https://t.co/FKCavKNG6v pic.twitter.com/ihHjZERmmF— ANI (@ANI) March 19, 2025
The Society's Deep Wounds: Where Is the Humanity?
This case is not just another crime story—it is a terrifying reflection of how lust, manipulation, and addiction can destroy lives.This tragedy raises larger questions about the state of human relationships and society today.
Key takeaways from this horrific case:
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Betrayal at its worst: A husband who gave up everything for love, only to be murdered in cold blood.
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Manipulation and deceit: Muskaan’s control over Sahil through a bizarre Snapchat reincarnation story shows how blind trust and influence can be weaponized.
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Drug addiction and crime: The role of substance abuse in fueling the crime highlights a growing menace in society.
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A broken justice system?: Would this crime have remained hidden if the laborers hadn’t accidentally opened the drum?
In the end, Saurabh’s family is left with a pain that can never be healed. The loss of their son, who had once sacrificed everything for the woman who would eventually betray him, is a wound that will never fully heal. All they can do now is seek justice—justice for Saurabh, and a hope that society will begin to address the underlying issues of betrayal, addiction, and manipulation that led to such a tragic end.
Saurabh Rajput did not deserve this fate. And his killers should not walk free.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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