Man disguised as monk returns after 10 years, murders estranged wife in South Delhi

Dubai: A 60-year-old man, allegedly disguised as a monk (sadhu), has murdered his estranged wife with a hammer at her son’s home in South Delhi, according to Indian media reports.

The incident occurred around midnight on Wednesday in Neb Sarai, when neighbours discovered Kiran Jha lying in a pool of blood hours later. The motive is believed to be related to a dispute over Kiran’s refusal to move back to Bihar with her husband, Pramod Jha, Delhi Police stated.

According to police, Kiran had separated from Pramod a decade ago and was living with her son Durgesh Jha, daughter-in-law Kamal Jha, and granddaughter in Neb Sarai, The Indian Express said.

Pramod, who had adopted the lifestyle of an ascetic in his native Jamalpur village in Bihar, came to Delhi on August 1.

DCP Ankit Chauhan revealed, “Pramod tried to convince Kiran to return to Bihar on Tuesday night. She refused, stating she was happy working as a caretaker in Delhi and being close to her family. This led to an argument.”

Around 4am, Kiran’s daughter-in-law found her severely injured, with head and body wounds. Police recovered the hammer believed to be the murder weapon from the room.

CCTV footage showed Pramod leaving the building shortly after the attack, having changed clothes, around 12:50am. Authorities have launched a manhunt, deploying teams across railway stations and bus terminals to locate him.

The investigation revealed Pramod had no stable income and had sold his ancestral property, pressuring Kiran to return to Bihar and earn money, which she refused. Family members alleged Kiran had fled 10 years ago after enduring physical abuse, according to mint.

Kiran’s daughter, Roma, told police Pramod had recently pretended to have renounced violence during a family visit to Bihar, but killed her mother after the latest refusal to return.

The Delhi Police continue to pursue multiple leads in the search for the accused.