Noida’s Valentine’s Day murder

NOIDA: A WhatsApp message purportedly typed by Sumit hours before he was found dead alongside his girlfriend has emerged as a key element in the probe into Noida’s Valentine’s Day deaths, even as grieving family members allege the couple may have been murdered.The bodies of Sumit (32), a resident of Trilokpuri in Delhi, and Rekha (26), from Sector 101 in Noida, were discovered on Saturday with gunshot wounds inside a locked car near Sector 107. Police said a pistol was recovered from Sumit’s hand, and preliminary assessment points towards a possible suicide.Investigators are examining a WhatsApp text allegedly typed by Sumit at 3.39pm on Friday. In the message, he reportedly wrote that the two had been in a relationship for 15 years and had planned to marry. However, he claimed Rekha had recently decided to wed someone else, a development he linked to taking an extreme step. It remains unclear whether the message was sent to anyone or saved as a draft.Sumit’s relatives questioned the suicide theory, alleging the couple had faced caste-based hostility and threats. “We believe both were murdered and were victims of casteism,” a cousin said. Family members stated that Sumit and Rekha had been together for over a decade, that both families were aware of the relationship, and that Rekha had attended several family functions. They also claimed the man’s family had received threatening calls, including from international numbers.Rekha’s family offered a different version, alleging that Sumit had harassed her in the past and that a complaint had previously been filed. According to them, the matter was later resolved after Sumit apologised. Rekha’s brother said the relationship had become strained in recent months as her family was arranging her marriage elsewhere because the couple belonged to different castes.Alleging foul play, Rekha’s family described the circumstances as “suspicious,” noting that the car was found only a few hundred metres from their village in Salarpur.Police maintained that the pistol recovered from Sumit’s hand and the car being locked from inside indicate a possible suicide. Senior officers and forensic teams have inspected the scene, and the post-mortem examination is awaited.Officials said the investigation is underway, with all angles — including the allegations raised by both families — being examined.