A 21-year-old woman in Delhi allegedly used her forensic science training to plan and execute the murder of her live-in partner after learning he had secretly recorded obscene videos of her. The shocking case unfolded on October 6, when the victim, a UPSC aspirant, was found dead in his Timarpur flat, initially believed to have died in a fire.

According to police, the woman, enraged by her partner’s refusal to delete the videos, sought help from her ex-boyfriend and another acquaintance. Using her forensic background and her ex’s expertise with gas cylinders, the trio allegedly strangled and beat the victim before pouring oil and alcohol on the body. To make it appear as an accident, they opened a gas cylinder regulator and set it alight. The fire later caused an explosion, completely charring the body.

Investigators said the accused woman was not only knowledgeable in forensic techniques but was also a regular viewer of crime shows, which influenced her plan. Police also revealed that she had initially pursued a degree in forensic science before switching to computer science.

The murder came to light after police reviewed CCTV footage from the area, which showed two men entering and a woman leaving the flat before the explosion. Call records and surveillance data led to the arrests — the woman on October 18, her ex on October 21, and the third accomplice on October 23. Officers also recovered the hard disk containing the explicit videos, along with other evidence such as the victim’s clothing and mobile phones used in the crime.