Saurabh Rajput Murder Case

 The Gruesome Tale of Muskan Rastogi: A Murder That Shocked India

In the quiet streets of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, a chilling crime unfolded that has left India reeling. On March 4, 2025, Saurabh Rajput, a 29-year-old former Merchant Navy officer, was brutally murdered in his own home—not by a stranger, but by his wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her lover, Sahil Shukla. What followed was a macabre tale of betrayal, dismemberment, and a bizarre cover-up that included a carefree trip to the hills. This is the story of a marriage gone horribly wrong, a drug-fueled conspiracy, and a murder so savage it’s hard to fathom.

A Marriage on the Rocks

Saurabh and Muskan’s story began with love—or so it seemed. The couple tied the knot in 2016 in a love marriage that Saurabh’s family opposed. Over the years, their relationship crumbled under the weight of infidelity, financial disputes, and a shared daughter they both adored. Saurabh, who had been working in London (initially claiming a Merchant Navy job, later revealed as a bakery worker), returned home in early 2025 to celebrate their six-year-old daughter’s birthday. Little did he know it would be his last.

Muskan, 27, had rekindled a childhood connection with Sahil Shukla, 25, in 2019 via a WhatsApp group. What started as nostalgia morphed into a full-blown affair, fueled by a mutual addiction to drugs. Saurabh, aware of the infidelity, considered divorce but stayed for his daughter. His plan to relocate Muskan and their child to London became the final straw—Muskan had no intention of leaving Meerut, or Sahil.

 The Plot Thickens

This wasn’t a crime of passion; it was cold, calculated, and rehearsed. Evidence suggests Muskan began plotting Saurabh’s death as early as November 2023. Eight days before the murder, she bought two knives for Rs. 800 and a cut-throat razor, practicing her stabs to ensure she could pull it off. She also visited Usha Medical Store in Khairnagar, purchasing Mezolam injections for Rs. 33 with a phone-displayed prescription, claiming anxiety. Her real intent? To sedate her husband into oblivion.

Sahil, a superstitious man with a penchant for the occult, was her willing accomplice. Muskan allegedly manipulated him using fake Snapchat accounts, posing as his deceased mother with eerie messages: “Raja, my child, the divine force will protect you.” She convinced him Saurabh’s death was fated, a notion reinforced by tantric symbols and satanic graffiti later found in Sahil’s room. Together, they planned not just a murder, but a disposal: a suitcase first, then a plastic drum when that failed.

 The Night of Horror

On March 4, 2025, in their rented home in Brahmpuri, the plan came to life. Muskan laced Saurabh’s food with sedatives, watching as he slipped into unconsciousness. Then, with Sahil guiding her hand, she plunged a knife into his heart—three times for good measure. When hesitation crept in, Sahil steadied her, ensuring the strikes were fatal. They slit his throat and severed his head and wrists, aiming to erase his identity. The autopsy later revealed a body hacked into 15 pieces, legs bent backward, and death by hemorrhagic shock from relentless bleeding.

Blood stained the bedsheets, pillows, bathroom tiles, and even a tap. The couple stuffed the remains into a drum, sealing it with cement bought from a local market. The suitcase idea had failed—the body was too bulky—so the drum became Saurabh’s grim tomb, left in the house as they moved to the next phase of their twisted tale.

 A Chilling Cover-Up

What do you do after butchering your husband? For Muskan and Sahil, the answer was a 15-day vacation. They fled to Himachal Pradesh in a private cab costing Rs. 54,000, posing as a married couple in Kasol and Shimla. They danced during Holi, ordered a cake inscribed “Shankar” for Sahil’s birthday, and lived as if nothing had happened. Using Saurabh’s phone, they sent messages to his family—Holi greetings to his sister, casual updates—delaying suspicion with chilling nonchalance.

Back in Meerut on March 17, reality hit. The drum was too heavy to move, thwarting their disposal plan. Panicking, Muskan confessed to her parents, initially pinning the blame on Saurabh’s sister and brother-in-law. Her father, Pramod, pressed for the truth, and the façade crumbled. On March 18, her parents marched her to the police. She and Sahil were arrested the next day, March 19.

 The Investigation Unravels

Police found a house of horrors: the drum with Saurabh’s remains, blood-soaked items, the suitcase, knives, and razor. Forensic teams confirmed the savagery, while financial probes revealed Sahil gambling with Saurabh’s money. The couple’s six-year-old daughter reportedly told neighbors, “Papa is in the drum,” a haunting clue Muskan tried to suppress by keeping her isolated.

In jail, Muskan and Sahil—housed 1.5 km apart in Chaudhary Charan Singh District Jail—face severe drug withdrawal. Muskan begs for morphine, Sahil for marijuana, both refusing food as medical teams monitor their distress. Muskan has requested a government lawyer; her family has washed their hands of her. The case is on a fast-track trial path, with police digging into every transaction and connection.

 A Family Torn Apart

Muskan’s parents, Pramod and Kavita Rastogi, are unequivocal: they want the death penalty. “She has no right to live,” Pramod declared, while Kavita lamented, “It would’ve been better if she’d never been born.” They blame Sahil for her drug spiral, alleging he held her “captive” with black magic. Saurabh’s mother, Renu Devi, demands justice and custody of her granddaughter, accusing Muskan’s parents of knowing more and calling for a CBI probe.

 A Nation in Shock

The Muskan Rastogi case isn’t just a murder—it’s a saga of addiction, occult obsession, and betrayal that defies comprehension. Videos of the couple dancing in Kasol days after the killing have gone viral, fueling public outrage. Neighbors recall Muskan’s reclusive nature and Sahil’s late-night visits, while a friend, Akshay Agarwal, claims she stayed with Saurabh only for his money. The brutality, the drum, the Himachal getaway—it’s a story that’s gripped India, a dark mirror to love gone horribly wrong.

As the investigation deepens, questions linger: How far did the planning go? What role did drugs and superstition truly play? And what becomes of a little girl caught in this nightmare? Stay tuned as this chilling case continues to unfold.

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