PATNA: What began as a friendship between two civil services aspirants and culminated in a love marriage has, according to police, ended in a case of alleged murder, dowry harassment and an alleged extramarital relationship.Police on Wednesday arrested a woman sub-inspector (SI) posted in Begusarai district in connection with the death of Amrita Kumari (29), wife of Jale block development officer (BDO) Manoj Kumar. Police are probing the role of SI, Annu Kumari, Manoj’s alleged girlfriend, in the case.The arrest came a day after police arrested Manoj Kumar from the bordering area of Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts on Tuesday. According to police, Annu Kumari was arrested from her native place in Sursand, Sitamarhi district.Police said Manoj and Amrita first met in 2015 while preparing for the BPSC examination. Amrita was also preparing for competitive examinations. Their friendship gradually developed into a relationship. In 2018, Manoj was selected as an auditor in the Defence Ministry. According to the investigation, the couple solemnised a court marriage in 2020. Manoj was selected as a BDO in 2022, and in 2023 the marriage was formally solemnised with the consent of both families, said police.Investigators said the relationship later turned strained. During the probe, police learnt that Manoj and the woman SI had allegedly been in a relationship for a long time. According to investigators, the alleged relationship frequently led to domestic disputes. Police said Amrita opposed it and allegedly faced continuous mental and physical harassment. In the FIR, Amrita’s brother also alleged that Manoj was having an affair with another woman.According to police, Amrita was admitted to a private hospital in Muzaffarpur late on the night of July 4 after she was found unconscious at her residence in Kanhauli under Mithanpura police station area. As her condition deteriorated, family members shifted her to another hospital, but she died on the way.Following her death, Amrita’s brother, Rajkumar, lodged an FIR at Mithanpura police station on July 5, alleging that Manoj had killed his wife because of his alleged illicit relationship with the woman SI.As per the FIR, Amrita and Manoj married on Dec 9, 2022. The complainant alleged that about a year after the marriage, Manoj, along with his parents, brother and sister, began demanding Rs10 lakh as dowry. When the demand was not met, Amrita was allegedly subjected to continuous harassment.The FIR further alleged that after Amrita came to know about her husband’s alleged affair, she opposed it, following which the harassment intensified. It also alleged that she was administered an intoxicating substance on the night of July 3 and killed.Apart from Manoj, his mother, father, brother and sister have also been named as accused in the FIR.Mithanpura SHO Ajay Kumar said, “Questioning of the SI is underway. Detailed information will be shared after the investigation is complete. During the probe, police seized two mobile phones from the arrested BDO. Their CDR and other digital evidence are being examined.”He added, “The investigation is focused on the dowry demand, the alleged affair, and the circumstances leading to Amrita’s death.”
