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Haryana Police on Monday arrested a 'friend' of Congress worker Himani Narwal for allegedly strangling her with a wired mobile charger after a fight at her home in Rohtak and later dumping her body in a suitcase.
Himani's body was found stuffed in a suitcase in Rohtak on Saturday, leading to the formation of a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the murder.
Speaking to reporters in Rohtak, Additional DGP K K Rao said the accused, Sachin, hails from Jhajjar district, where he runs a mobile phone shop, and was arrested in Delhi.
Rao said it was a murder with few clues.
"When the body was found, we set up eight teams, including an SIT. Our priority was to identify the victim when her body was found. When the family identified her, the police conducted swift investigations to trace out the accused.
"For the past one-and-half years, the accused was in contact with the woman through social media and also used to visit her home.
"The woman used to live alone in Vijay Nagar. On February 27, the accused visited her home, and they had a heated argument," Rao said.
The officer said the fight between the two broke out over money.
According to police, Sachin, a married man with no political connections, strangled Himani with a wired mobile phone charger, killing her on the spot.
Sachin was produced before a court in Rohtak on Monday and was sent to a three-day police remand.
"There was a monetary issue between the two, but what it was, all this has to be verified first. We cannot say this was the reason (for the murder).
"The accused has said there was a fight between the two, and during an exchange of words, he strangled her," the ADGP said.
Rao said that after strangling Himani, Sachin took her jewellery, laptop, ring and rode her scooter to Jhajjar to hide these items in his shop there.
The same night, he returned to her home, stuffed her body in a black suitcase and got into an auto-rickshaw with the bag, as well as a quilt that had blood stains on it.
He got down near Sampla bus stand to waylay the investigation, Rao said.
Once the auto-rickshaw left, he dumped the suitcase and left.
The officer said the auto-rickshaw driver had no inkling that the passenger was carrying a body in the suitcase.
"There was no talk of marriage between the two as the accused is already married -- but they were friends," he said.
Some Congress members said Himani was a dedicated party worker and also took part in the Rahul Gandhi-led Bharat Jodo Yatra. Pictures of her with Gandhi making rounds on social media bear this out.
Police said Sachin was held in Delhi based on intelligence inputs.
Earlier, Himani's family had refused to cremate her body until the culprit was arrested, with her mother, Savita, demanding capital punishment for the guilty.
"I want capital punishment for the killers of my daughter," Savita told PTI Videos in Rohtak on Monday.
Her mother also alleged that some of her colleagues envied her swift rise in the party.
"I spoke to her last on February 27. She said she would be busy with a party programme the next day, but later her phone was found switched off Till the time my daughter does not get justice, we won't cremate her," Savita said.
Himani's last rites were held Monday evening.
A Haryana Congress leader said Himani was pursuing a law degree.
Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Sunday said he spoke to the Rohtak superintendent of police regarding the investigation in the murder case.
Congress MLA from Rohtak B B Batra said Himani was a 'very good and active' worker and used to attend party programmes.
"Those who have committed the crime should be severely punished," Batra had said.