In a shocking turn of events, Ashok Balmiki, a man from Delhi, traveled to Prayagraj with his wife Meenakshi to take part in the Maha Kumbh Mela, like many other pilgrims. Ashok captured moments of their visit at the Triveni Sangam, sharing the images and videos on social media. After a day spent at the holy site, the couple checked into a lodge for the night, with Ashok promising to take Meenakshi for another dip the following morning.
However, tragedy struck when Meenakshi’s bloodied body was found the next day in their room, and Ashok had mysteriously vanished. He had told their children that their mother had “gone missing” at the Kumbh Mela. According to the police, the couple had stayed at a lodge in the Jhunsi area, where the owner offered them a room for Rs 500 but failed to ask for any identification.
Later that night, Ashok murdered Meenakshi in the washroom with a sharp weapon before fleeing the scene. He then falsely claimed that she had gone missing at the Kumbh Mela. The next morning, Meenakshi’s body was discovered, but there was no immediate clue as to Ashok’s whereabouts, as the lodge had not asked for any identification. The case took a turn when Meenakshi’s son arrived in Prayagraj on February 21 to search for his mother. He showed her photo to the Jhunsi police, explaining that she had disappeared after arriving at the Kumbh Mela. The police took him to the mortuary, where he identified her body.
After this, the police arranged for the son to call Ashok, and through CCTV footage from the area, they were able to trace and apprehend him. Ashok’s entire scheme—from bringing Meenakshi to Prayagraj, taking photos, and checking into the lodge—was a calculated plan to ultimately kill her. During questioning, Ashok confessed that his motive was rooted in ongoing arguments with Meenakshi, primarily over his affair with another woman. He admitted to carefully choosing a lodge that didn’t require identity verification, allowing him to carry out the murder and escape unnoticed.