Aligarh, India

Suman Singh, 25, and Anita Singh, 24, met in college 6 years ago, and fell in love. They went to nursing school together, and found jobs at two private clinics and began living together. Two years ago, they “married” at a temple in Moradabad. Since then, Suman has considered herself Anita’s “husband”.

In April, 2008, Anita’s parents forced her to marry a man, Rajendra Singh, 30, in the city of Aligarh, and the women’s lives were plagued by loneliness and emptiness.

Unable to cope with the separation, Suman hired three killers to kill Anita’s husband, with Anita’s knowledge. The hired ‘help’ came by Rajendra’s house on Thursday, May 8, and a day later, the man’s body was found dead. 

Police say that Suman Singh, a postgraduate in political science, confessed after her partner Anita spilled the beans to police.

“Suman was picked up after circumstantial evidence suggested she had a role in Friday’s murder. She kept denying her involvement but broke down after Anita revealed all,”  Aligarh senior superintendent of police Raghuvar Lal.