A 27-year-old Delhi Police SWAT commando died after being allegedly assaulted by her husband at their West Delhi residence, with her brother claiming he heard her screams during a phone call in which the accused allegedly announced the killing in real time.
The incident occurred on January 22 at the couple’s rented accommodation in Mohan Garden. The victim, Kajal Chaudhary, succumbed to her injuries on January 27 at a hospital in Ghaziabad after battling for life for five days.
Her husband, Ankur, a clerk in the Ministry of Defence posted at Delhi Cantt, was arrested hours after the incident. Police said a case initially registered as attempt to murder will now be converted to murder following her death.
Recounting the incident, Kajal’s brother Nikhil, a constable posted at Parliament Street Police Station, said he first received a call from Ankur.
“He called me and said, ‘Apni behen ko samjha le’ (Make your sister understand). I asked him to calm down and immediately called my sister," Nikhil told PTI.
“She normally wouldn’t tell us much about what was happening, but that day she was sharing her ordeal. While we were speaking, he got angry that she was telling me things and snatched the phone from her,” he said.
Nikhil alleged that Ankur then spoke to him on the same call.
“Then he said to me, ‘Is call ko recording pe rakh, police evidence me kaam aayega. Main maar raha hoon teri behen ko. Police mera kuch nahi kar payegi’ (Put this call on recording, it will be useful as police evidence. I am killing your sister. Police won’t be able to do anything). Then I heard her screams. The call ended abruptly," he said.
Barely five minutes later, Nikhil said he received another call from Ankur.
"He (Ankur) said, ‘Ye mar gayi hai. Hospital aajao’ (She is dead. Come to the hospital). We rushed there with police personnel. He and his family were already present. When I saw my sister… not even an enemy kills someone like this," he said.
According to the family, Kajal suffered severe head injuries and multiple wounds across her body. Nikhil said they were turned away by several hospitals after being told her chances of survival were minimal.
She was later admitted to a Ghaziabad hospital, where she died. Police said that during an argument, Ankur allegedly first banged Kajal’s head against a door frame before attacking her with a dumbbell.
A case was registered at Mohan Garden police station based on Nikhil’s complaint. “He was initially booked for attempt to murder. After her death, the charges will be converted to murder,” a police officer said.
The family has alleged prolonged torture and dowry harassment. Kajal’s father, Rakesh, alleged that dowry demands continued even after the wedding.
"We gave them a Bullet bike, gold jewellery and cash at the wedding, but they said our son would have got a car (had he married someone else). Later, my daughter even arranged a car, but they didn't stop harassing her. We couldn't even speak freely to her," he said.
Her mother said the family had spent around Rs 20 lakh on the wedding and taken loans. "He (Ankur) had also taken Rs 5 lakh from her... She (Kajal) suffered a lot. I want justice. He is a monster," she said.
Nikhil said Kajal had been assaulted earlier as well. Recalling an incident from around five months ago, he said she had been slapped by her husband.
"I went there and asked her to come with me. Ankur apologised and swore on his child that he wouldn’t repeat it. I told my sister she could return home whenever she wanted and didn’t have to stay there," he said.
He also alleged that Kajal was made to do household work during her pregnancy. "She would cook, wash clothes and utensils despite being pregnant," he said. The couple has a one-and-a-half-year-old son, who is currently with his maternal grandparents.
"Her son doesn’t know anything about the incident, and we have decided that we will only raise him. We will tell him when he is mature to understand such things," Nikhil said.
Police said financial stress and domestic disputes were also part of the friction. "The couple had taken some loans and often had arguments over finances and household expenses," a Delhi Police officer said.
Kajal and Ankur had known each other since their college days in Panipat and were married on November 23, 2023.
Due to frequent disputes at their native home in Ganaur, Haryana, they shifted to a rented accommodation in Mohan Garden in December 2024, police said.