Shahjahanpur man kills wife with axe a day before Karwa Chauth, flees with child
Synopsis
A domestic argument over a Delhi trip ended in a woman's death in Shahjahanpur — a day before Karwa Chauth. The accused husband fled with the couple's child and remains at large. The case mirrors a string of recent marital killings across India, raising fresh questions about domestic violence response at the ground level.
Key Takeaways
Sushila , 30 , was allegedly killed with an axe by her husband Avneesh in Chaurasia village , Shahjahanpur , Uttar Pradesh on 28 October 2025 .
The alleged motive was a domestic argument over travelling to Delhi , according to preliminary police investigation.
The accused fled the scene with the couple's child; two police teams have been deployed to trace him.
The body has been sent for postmortem; a formal investigation is underway by the Alhaganj police station .
A similar marital murder case from Bengaluru involving Mohammed Irfaz and victim Ruksana on 10 October highlighted the same pattern of domestic violence escalating fatally.
A 30-year-old woman identified as Sushila was allegedly hacked to death with an axe by her husband in Chaurasia village under the Alhaganj police station area of Shahjahanpur district, Uttar Pradesh, on Wednesday, 28 October 2025 — a day before the Karwa Chauth festival. The accused husband, identified as Avneesh, reportedly fled the scene with the couple's child and remains at large, according to police.
How the Incident Unfolded
According to preliminary police investigation, the couple had been engaged in an argument over travelling to Delhi. The dispute escalated to violence, with the accused allegedly attacking Sushila with an axe, resulting in her death. The incident triggered panic among residents of Chaurasia village.
On receiving information, officers from the Alhaganj police station reached the spot, took custody of the body, and sent it for a postmortem examination. An investigation has since been launched. Two separate police teams have been deployed specifically to trace and apprehend the absconding accused.
Search Underway for Accused
Police confirmed that Avneesh has been absconding since the incident, taking the couple's child with him. Authorities have not disclosed the child's age or condition. The search operation is ongoing, and no arrests have been reported so far. Officials attributed the crime to a domestic dispute, though the investigation remains in its early stages.
A Recurring Pattern of Marital Violence
This incident comes amid a broader and deeply concerning pattern of marital violence reported across India in recent weeks. Days earlier, a similar case emerged from Bengaluru, where a 22-year-old Bihar native, identified as Mohammed Irfaz, was arrested for allegedly murdering his 25-year-old wife Ruksana and dumping her body in a stormwater drain on 10 October. Her body was recovered on 13 October.
According to police, the couple — both originally from Bihar — had married about a year ago and relocated to Bengaluru approximately six months prior. Irfaz was employed at a garment factory, while Ruksana was also working. The couple reportedly quarrelled frequently, and Irfaz allegedly suspected her of an extramarital relationship due to her frequent phone calls.
On the day of the murder, Irfaz allegedly struck Ruksana with a stone, stuffed a scarf into her mouth, then used a motorcycle — reportedly stolen by breaking its handle lock — to transport her body in a bag before dumping it in the drain.
Official Response and Next Steps
In the Shahjahanpur case, police have not yet named a formal charge or filed a First Information Report (FIR) publicly. Investigators are expected to piece together the sequence of events through forensic evidence from the postmortem and witness accounts from the village. The festival timing of the crime — a day before Karwa Chauth, traditionally observed by married women for their husbands' wellbeing — has drawn additional attention to the case.
Advocacy groups working on domestic violence have long flagged that marital disputes in India frequently escalate without intervention, and the two recent incidents are likely to renew calls for stronger domestic violence response mechanisms at the local police level.
Point of View
Suspicion, and escalating arguments — yet no intervention mechanism was triggered. The timing in Shahjahanpur, a day before Karwa Chauth, is grimly ironic, but the more uncomfortable question is structural. India's domestic violence response relies heavily on reactive policing rather than early warning or mediation infrastructure. Until local police stations are equipped — and incentivised — to de-escalate reported marital conflicts before they turn violent, incidents like these will keep recurring across the country's headlines.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened in the Shahjahanpur wife murder case?
A woman named Sushila, 30, was allegedly hacked to death with an axe by her husband Avneesh in Chaurasia village, Shahjahanpur district, Uttar Pradesh on 28 October 2025. The incident reportedly followed a domestic argument over a planned trip to Delhi.
Where is the accused husband Avneesh now?
Avneesh has been absconding since the incident and reportedly fled with the couple's child. Two police teams from the Alhaganj police station area have been deployed to trace and arrest him.
What is the significance of the Karwa Chauth timing?
The murder occurred a day before Karwa Chauth, a festival traditionally observed by married Hindu women as a fast for their husbands' long lives. The timing has drawn particular public attention to the case.
How does this case connect to the Bengaluru marital murder?
Days before the Shahjahanpur incident, a man named Mohammed Irfaz was arrested in Bengaluru for allegedly killing his wife Ruksana on 10 October and dumping her body in a stormwater drain. Both cases involved domestic disputes that escalated fatally, pointing to a broader pattern of marital violence.
What action has the Uttar Pradesh police taken so far?
Police reached the crime scene, took custody of Sushila's body, and sent it for postmortem examination. A formal investigation has been launched and two teams are actively searching for the absconding accused.
