‘Half-burnt body stuffed in red suitcase’: Man kills woman, then gets her tattooed on his chest in Punjab
Times of India
by NEEL KAMALFebruary 13, 2026
AI-Generated Deep Dive Summary
Bathinda Police have solved a shocking case where a young woman, identified as Malika (also known as Sapna), was killed by her friend Prince Kumar over a personal dispute. The 20-year-old’s body was found half-burnt and stuffed inside a red suitcase in fields near Behman Diwana village on the Bathinda-Malout highway. Following the murder, Kumar had a tattoo of himself with Malika inked on his chest as a twisted纪念. This gruesome case has sent shockwaves through Punjab, highlighting the alarming rates of gender violence in India.
The investigation revealed that Kumar disposed of the body twice, first attempting to burn it partially and later stuffing it into a suitcase. He used a silver-coloured Hyundai i20 car to transport the suitcase containing the remains to Malout Road, where it was eventually discovered on February 11. Police recovered the vehicle and the knife used in the crime, while technical analysis of Malika’s phone led to identifying suspicious individuals. Despite no prior criminal record for Kumar, this case underscores the need for stronger accountability measures.
This incident has sparked outrage over gender-based violence and the lack of justice for women in India. It raises critical questions about how such crimes remain unresolved despite legal reforms like the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (New Code of Criminal Procedure). The tattoo on Kumar’s chest, a macabre souvenir of his crime, serves as a chilling reminder of the intersection of violence and misogyny. As social media reacts with #NotInOurName, this case remains a stark testament to the ongoing struggles for women’s safety in India.
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Originally published on Times of India on 2/13/2026