In a chilling case from Rajasthan, a woman, allegedly fed up with abuse, turned to crime web series for inspiration to plot the murder of her husband. This is not an isolated incident, as other cases in Rajasthan have also surfaced where women have taken extreme steps, sometimes with the help of lovers, to end their husband's lives.
In one recent case, Laxmi Devi and her lover, Jitendra Sharma, were arrested for the murder of Laxmi's husband, Hansram, in the Kheirathal Tijara district. The crime came to light when Hansram's body was discovered inside a blue plastic drum on the roof of their rented accommodation in the Kishangarhbas Police Station area. According to Superintendent of Police Manish Chaudhary, Laxmi had borrowed the drum from her landlord under the pretense of needing it to store water. Investigations suggest that Laxmi and Jitendra conspired to commit the murder to conceal their affair. Hansram was killed on the night of August 15th, and his body was subsequently hidden in the drum. Laxmi and Jitendra, who had fled with the couple's three children, were apprehended at a brick kiln in Alwada village of Alwar district. The children have since been returned to their grandfather.
In a similar case, Santosh Devi, along with her friends, murdered her husband, Manoj, in Jaipur. Motivated by physical assault and suspicion, Santosh Devi befriended Rishi Srivastava, a coworker at a bedsheet factory. As their relationship deepened, they devised a plan to kill Manoj. They were joined by Rishi's friend, Mohit Sharma, and together they researched ways to commit murder and avoid detection, using the internet and crime web series as resources. The trio purchased new SIM cards and scouted locations to execute their plan. On the day of the murder, Mohit hired Manoj's e-rickshaw to go to the ISKCON temple. En route, Rishi joined them, and they diverted to a deserted farmhouse area where they slit Manoj's throat with a sharp bedsheet cutter.
These cases highlight a disturbing trend where individuals, driven to desperation, are turning to extreme violence. The influence of crime-related media in these plots raises concerns about the potential for such content to inspire real-life crimes. It also underscores the need for addressing the root causes of domestic conflicts and providing support systems for individuals facing abuse and strained relationships.