In a disturbing trend that continues to shock the nation, India is witnessing a spate of gruesome murders where wives, often barely weeks into marriage, are being accused of killing their husbands—sometimes with the help of secret lovers or even close family members. These chilling acts of betrayal are not only a commentary on broken trust and crumbling marriages but also raise important questions about societal pressure, mental health, and the thin line between love and obsession.
One such deeply unsettling case has recently emerged from Aurangabad, Bihar, involving a 30-year-old woman, Gunja Singh, who allegedly plotted the murder of her husband just 45 days after their wedding, with her maternal uncle and long-time lover, Jeevan Singh. The crime, inspired by the infamous Meghalaya honeymoon murder, has become emblematic of a shocking new pattern—wives turning into murderers, and husbands becoming casualties of deceit and forbidden desires.
The Aurangabad Horror: A 15-Year Affair Ends in Bloodshed
Gunja Singh and Priyanshu Kumar had barely completed a month-and-a-half of their arranged marriage when the latter was brutally shot dead on June 24 near Lembokhap village in Bihar’s Aurangabad district. On the surface, it appeared to be a tragic case of road violence. But within days, the police unraveled a far more sinister tale—one involving a 15-year illicit relationship between Gunja and her uncle, who is also the husband of her paternal aunt.
According to the police, Gunja was forced into marriage by her family despite her secret affair with Jeevan Singh, who had, on multiple occasions, sabotaged her other marriage proposals. Unable to bear the idea of ending her relationship with him, Gunja and her uncle allegedly conspired to eliminate her husband. What’s chilling is the level of planning involved.
Gunja reportedly tracked her husband’s movements as he returned from Chandauli, UP, and relayed the details to the hired killers. The shooters, aided by two men from Jharkhand—Jaishankar Chaubey and Mukesh Sharma—ambushed Priyanshu and shot him near Nabinagar railway station. The duo had also procured SIM cards to evade detection. Priyanshu succumbed to his injuries despite being rushed to the hospital.
Gunja confessed to her role in the murder during police interrogation. While she and the two accomplices are in custody, Jeevan Singh remains at large, prompting an ongoing police manhunt.
A Pattern of Betrayal: From Bihar to Meghalaya to Meerut
The Aurangabad murder is not an isolated incident. It joins a growing list of violent, emotionally charged crimes, where married women—many newlyweds—have been accused of orchestrating their husband’s murders, often driven by illicit love affairs, personal trauma, or a desire to escape societal expectations.
- The Meghalaya Honeymoon Murder
Earlier this year, in one of the most sensational cases, Raja Raghuvanshi was found dead in the forests of Meghalaya during his honeymoon. His wife, Sonam Raghuvanshi, quickly emerged as the prime suspect. Investigators believe that Sonam, with the help of her alleged lover Raj Kushwaha, hired contract killers to murder her husband. Four men, including Kushwaha, were arrested. All five accused are being taken to the crime scene for further investigation.
This case shocked the public not just because it happened during what should have been a celebratory time—the honeymoon—but because of the cold-blooded orchestration and emotional detachment involved. It also served as the reported inspiration for Gunja Singh, who mimicked similar tactics in her own marriage-turned-murder plot.
- The Meerut Cement Drum Murder
Another equally horrific crime was reported from Meerut, where Muskan Rastogi, along with her lover Sahil Shukla, allegedly murdered her husband Saurabh Rajput, a Merchant Navy officer. The pair reportedly sedated Saurabh, stabbed him, and dismembered his body, sealing it in a cement-filled drum to hide the crime. If that wasn't shocking enough, Muskan was later found to be pregnant while in custody, further complicating the emotional and legal implications of the case.
- The Tripura Freezer Killing
In Agartala, Tripura, a love triangle turned into a gruesome murder when 26-year-old Sariful Islam was killed and stuffed inside an ice-cream freezer. What started as a missing person case evolved into a horrifying narrative involving Nabanita Das, her cousin and MBBS doctor Dibakar Saha, and a plot driven by jealousy and manipulation. Sariful, who was romantically involved with Nabanita, was betrayed in the most chilling fashion.
Why Are These Cases Rising? A Nation Grapples with New Realities
The increasing frequency of such crimes points to deeper social fissures. Many of these marriages were arranged under pressure, disregarding the individual’s emotional realities. Women like Gunja Singh and Sonam Raghuvanshi were caught between societal expectations and their personal desires, leading to extreme, violent outcomes.
But these cases also mark a disturbing rise in the weaponisation of trust. Relationships that should offer safety and companionship are turning into battlegrounds of manipulation and betrayal. The element of premeditation in many of these cases—tracking travel plans, hiring hitmen, sedating and dismembering bodies—adds a cold, calculated edge that is deeply unsettling.
But Let’s Not Generalise: A Word of Nuance
While these murders are deeply disturbing, it's crucial not to paint all women with the same brush. These isolated, albeit high-profile cases, must not become the lens through which society views all women or all marriages.
Women in India—and globally—have historically suffered far more systemic and violent oppression, including dowry deaths, acid attacks, marital rape, domestic abuse, and honor killings. In fact, even today, countless women remain trapped in abusive marriages with little recourse. Just because a few stories reverse the narrative doesn't mean the scales of justice or suffering have been balanced.
These husband murder cases are heinous, yes, but they are exceptions, not the rule. The real lesson lies in addressing the root causes—forced marriages, lack of emotional support, gender taboos around love and desire, and the absence of mental health interventions.
Murders Born of Secrets, Lies, and Suppression
The gruesome killings in Aurangabad, Meghalaya, Meerut, and Tripura tell us more than just individual stories of crime—they expose the deep emotional rot, the cost of double lives, and the deadly consequences of untreated trauma and obsession. These stories should alarm us, not because women are now "equally dangerous," but because they reveal how societal dysfunction can manifest in horrific personal tragedies.
As we process these terrifying betrayals, let’s remember: accountability must be individual, not gendered. Justice must be blind, but our understanding should be sharp enough to see the bigger social picture, beyond the headlines.
Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Vygr’s views.
With inputs from agencies
Image Source: Multiple agencies
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