Ghaziabad, March 25 A 40-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly shooting dead his wife and his close friend over suspicion of an illicit relationship in Ghaziabad district of Uttar Pradesh, police said on Wednesday.
The accused, Rashid, was arrested by Tronica City police in the evening for killing his wife, Shabnam (36), and his friend, Faheem (32), residents of Khushhal Park. The incident took place late Monday night.
According to DCP (Rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari, Rashid had called Faheem to his house for a conversation, during which his wife was also present. He had earlier sent his elder son, Rehan, along with his wife, to his in-laws' house, while his other children were in another room.
During the meeting, a heated argument broke out between Rashid and Faheem.
In a fit of rage, Rashid allegedly shot both Shabnam and Faheem and fled from the spot.
The children present in the house later informed their relatives and the police. Upon reaching the scene, police recorded statements of the children, who indicated that Shabnam was allegedly involved in a relationship with Faheem, officials said.
Police said that Rashid and Faheem had been friends for nearly 20 years and were business partners in the timber trade. Faheem was unmarried and frequently visited Rashid's house.
During the investigation, it also came to light that Shabnam and Faheem allegedly wanted to get married, and Rashid was aware of their relationship, which had caused resentment.
Police teams were deployed to trace the accused, who was arrested on Wednesday evening, the officer said.
The bodies have been sent for post-mortem examination, and further investigation is underway, Tiwari added.