In brief
In Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, 26‑year‑old Muskan Rastogi and 28‑year‑old Sahil Shukla were sentenced to death for killing her husband Saurabh Rajput and hiding his body in a blue plastic drum. The case, dubbed the "blue drum murder", revealed a complex relationship that began in school, intensified during Rajput’s work in London, and culminated in a tragic crime on 3 March 2025. Following a swift investigation, the couple fled, used the victim’s phone to feign his safety, and ultimately confessed after a child questioned them. Their sentences await confirmation from the high court, and they can appeal the verdict. The incident underscores the darker side of human motives, even as India grapples with its evolving criminal justice system.
A tragic case in northern India has ended with death sentences for a woman and her boyfriend, who murdered the woman’s husband and hid his body in a blue plastic storage drum.
Muskan Rastogi (26) and Sahil Shukla (28) were convicted on 30 September in Meerut for the 2025 murder of Saurabh Rajput, the husband of Muskan. Rajput’s body was recovered from a large blue drum, prompting the crime to be dubbed the blue drum murder. A court’s ruling imposed the death penalty, but the verdict will be reviewed by the high court and can be challenged by the defendants.
The prosecution’s case traced the couple’s relationship back to school days, noting that Rajput had been away in London and that the affair had become known in 2021. At that time Rajput considered divorce; his family, however, urged him to stay, citing the couple’s young daughter. On 3 March 2025, Rajput was killed while visiting Meerut – investigators say he was given food laced with sedatives by Rastogi before the murder.
After the crime, Rastogi and Shukla fled to Himachal Pradesh but continued to send messages from Rajput’s mobile phone, pretending he was safe and traveling for business. When Rajput’s family later reported him missing, the police traced the false messages, leading to a search that uncovered the body in the blue drum.
Rastogi was arrested following an interrogation after her child asked about the missing father; she initially blamed her in‑laws but eventually confessed. The case has drawn strong condemnation from Rajput’s relatives, who demand rigorous punishment and caution the community against similar acts of violence.
During her incarceration, Rastogi gave birth to a second child, adding a poignant layer to the distressing story of betrayal and law enforcement in Uttar Pradesh.
