MEERUT: The gruesome murder of ex-merchant navy officer Saurabh Rajput (29) in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut has taken a sinister turn, with police uncovering disturbing details about the accused, Sahil Shukla (27). His room was filled with eerie graffiti, tantric symbols, and satanic drawings, hinting at his alleged deep obsession with black magic.
Saurabh was allegedly drugged, stabbed ten times, and dismembered by his wife, Muskan Rastogi (27), and her lover, Sahil. His body was initially hidden inside a bathroom for a night before being sealed in a cement-filled drum for a fortnight. After committing the crime, the duo went on a 12-day holiday to Shimla.
During their investigation, police found Sahil’s room covered in unsettling imagery—red and black tantric symbols, devil graffiti, and cryptic English phrases. Images of Lord Shiva were also plastered across the walls. Beer cans, bidi stubs, and other items were scattered around, adding to the eerie setting.
It is believed that Sahil was highly superstitious, and Muskan exploited this to manipulate him. She created fake Snapchat accounts using her brother’s phone, convincing Sahil that his deceased mother was speaking to him from the afterlife and wanted someone dead. Muskan then made Sahil see Saurabh as an easy target.
SP City Ayush Vikram Singh said Muskan had been planning the murder since November and used Sahil’s beliefs to gain control over him.
The chilling crime and the occult elements found in Sahil’s room have added a bizarre twist to the case. The SP added, “We are investigating the clues, and if we find concrete evidence regarding his occultist beliefs, we will make it a part of the investigation.”
