Police in Jammu and Kashmir's Kathua district have solved a chilling blind murder case by arresting the wife of the deceased, who had been mounting pressure on the police for the past three months to arrest those responsible for the gruesome killing of her husband.
In a dramatic breakthrough after 112 days of relentless investigation, Kathua Police solved the brutal murder of a man whose badly mutilated body was found in a nullah in Billawar last October. The prime accused turned out to be none other than the victim's wife, who had managed to evade the police for nearly four months after committing the crime.
Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohita Sharma said that the wife of the victim has been arrested in connection with the murder of her husband, Bittu Ram, whose body was found in October 2025.
The SSP said that evidence was collected and several suspects were questioned before the victim's wife, Simro Devi, was identified as the prime accused.
During questioning, the accused allegedly confessed to her involvement in the crime. A police spokesperson said she disclosed that an extramarital relationship had led to frequent disputes and strained relations between the couple. She reportedly admitted to strangling her husband with a rope following these conflicts.
The badly mutilated body of the victim, identified as Bittu Ram, son of Durga Das, a resident of Dhah Dugnoo village in Billawar tehsil of Kathua district, was found on October 9, 2025, in a nullah under mysterious circumstances.
The body bore multiple injuries on the face and limbs, along with a ligature mark around the neck, clearly pointing towards foul play.
Acting on the information, Police Station Billawar initiated inquest proceedings under Section 194 of the BNSS vide DDR No. 19 dated October 9, 2025.
A detailed inspection of the crime scene was carried out, and crucial physical and circumstantial evidence was collected. The investigation was further strengthened through scientific examination by the FSL Unit and the Crime Photography Team, while the post-mortem confirmed homicidal death.
What initially appeared to be a mysterious death soon unfolded into a cold-blooded murder following sustained ground-level investigation, human intelligence inputs, and technical analysis. Based on the evidence gathered, the case was converted into a murder case, and FIR No. 09/2026 under Section 103 of the BNS was registered at Police Station Billawar.
The investigation, led by SHO Billawar Inspector Zaheer Mushtaq under the close supervision of SP Operations Upper Kathua Aamir Iqbal and SDPO Billawar Neeraj Padyar and the overall supervision of SSP Kathua Mohita Sharma, IPS, finally zeroed in on the victim's wife, Simro Devi, as the key suspect.
During sustained interrogation, the accused broke down and confessed to killing her husband to conceal her illicit relationship, which had become a frequent cause of quarrels between the couple.
She further admitted that due to these disputes, she strangled Bittu Ram with a rope, resulting in his death. Relevant recoveries connected with the offense were also effected during the course of the investigation.
During the course of the enquiry, the police team from Police Station Billawar visited the spot, inspected the area, and collected crucial physical and circumstantial evidence.
Preliminary examination of the dead body revealed multiple injuries on the face and limbs, along with a ligature mark around the neck, raising serious suspicion of foul play.
Scientific examination of the scene of the crime was conducted with the assistance of the FSL Unit and the Crime Photography Team, and several exhibits were seized as per procedure. The post-mortem examination of the deceased was also conducted as per the rules.
