In Nangloi, Delhi, a young woman named Sonia was allegedly murdered by her boyfriend, Sanju, also known as Salim. Sonia, aged 19, was seven months pregnant at the time of her death. The brutal incident has left her family and the local community in shock, with numerous questions about the alleged abuse, her pregnancy, and the suspect’s motives.
Sonia’s parents, originally from Darbhanga, Bihar, have been living in Nangloi for the past 30 years. They reside in a rented two-room house along with Sonia’s siblings and her brother-in-law. Her father, Shankar Mandal, runs a tea stall, and her mother, Ranjana Devi, works as a domestic helper. Sonia, who had studied up to the 10th grade, stayed at home while her family members were out working. According to her family, Sonia had known Sanju for over a year and a half, meeting him through mutual friends. Their relationship was quite visible on social media, where they often shared photos and videos together.
On October 21, Sonia reportedly left her home in the early morning, informing her mother that she would return soon. Ranjana, unaware of what lay ahead, went back to sleep. Later in the day, her calls to Sonia went unanswered, and eventually, Sonia’s phone was answered by Sanju, who told Ranjana that Sonia didn’t want to speak to anyone. Hours later, the phone was switched off. Concerned about her daughter’s safety, Ranjana and her son, Manish, went to Nangloi Police Station to file a complaint. Despite their fears, they were told by police officers to wait, with assurances that Sonia would likely return soon.
The next day, the police contacted Manish, informing him that they had apprehended Sanju along with his friend, Pankaj. Under questioning, Sanju reportedly admitted to murdering Sonia, stating that he had strangled her and buried her body in Bahu Akbarpur, Rohtak, near his maternal uncle’s residence. The postmortem revealed multiple injuries, including broken ribs and damage to her spine, suggesting she had been severely beaten with a stick before being killed. Shockingly, Sonia’s body was buried approximately four feet underground.
Sonia’s family claims they were unaware of Sanju’s religious background and only knew him as “Sanju.” They allege that Sonia, who called him “Salim,” had saved his contact under that name, referring to him as a “ghost” whenever questioned. When Sonia disclosed her pregnancy in July, her family met with Sanju’s mother, who reportedly pressured her to terminate the pregnancy. Sonia refused, expressing her wish to marry Sanju, which further complicated the situation.
According to Sonia’s mother, Ranjana, Sanju’s family did not fully support the relationship. Despite this, Sonia insisted on marrying him. Tensions escalated when Sonia’s brother, Manish, discovered threatening messages from Sanju’s brother, Sahil, who allegedly warned Sonia to stay away from Sanju or face dire consequences. Sahil had married a Hindu woman, and his family faced backlash from the community at the time. After the murder, Sanju’s family locked their home in Nangloi and fled the area, with no trace of their current whereabouts.
The police have since arrested Sanju, Pankaj, and another friend named Hrithik. According to the police, Sonia had been pressuring Sanju for marriage, and he had been staying with her frequently over the past few months. The authorities claim that Sonia’s family was aware of her relationship with Sanju and the resulting pregnancy. However, Sonia’s family has a different account, asserting that they were kept in the dark about his background and his family’s stance on their relationship. The case has spurred debates, with the police denying any connection to “love jihad” despite rumors linking the incident to religious motives.
This tragic case has underscored issues of domestic violence, the risks young women face in such relationships, and the role of family awareness in intervening to prevent tragedy. Sonia’s story has left the local community and the nation grappling with the haunting memory of a young woman’s life cut short.
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