Delhi police head constable arrested for setting wife’s new car on fire

The couple got separated six months ago after a 15-year marriage. The cop lives on the ground floor and the woman on the first floor of the same building

A Delhi Police head constable posted with the security unit of the force has been arrested for threatening his estranged wife, and setting fire to her new car in Najafgarh, officers aware of the matter said on Wednesday.

A video grab of the car on fire. (HT photo)

Police said Sudhir (who goes by one name), and Nisha Shokeen, a government school teacher, married 15 years ago, but separated around six months ago. The two live in the same building in Najafgarh — Sudhir lives on the ground floor, and Shokeen on the first floor — and have two minor children – a 12-year-old girl and a five-year-old son.

Sharing details, deputy commissioner of police (Dwarka) Ankit Singh said a woman on Saturday filed a police complaint, alleging that her husband on June 26 threatened her and set fire to her Hyundai Exter car, which she had bought just 20 days before the incident.

“A case under Indian Penal Code sections 435 (mischief by fire), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (common intention) was registered,” Singh said.

An investigator, on condition of anonymity, said, “Sudhir was arrested on Tuesday and was later released on bail as the offences were bailable.”

Speaking to HT, Shokeen alleged that Sudhir attacked her car three times within a span of two hours.

She said that on June 26, Sudhir stood outside the house and started abusing her. “My children and I locked ourselves in a room and didn’t go out for at least four hours. I could see everything that he was doing from my house. He was drunk and used a weapon to break the glass windows and doors of the car,” she said, adding that Sudhir fled after she called the police.

According to Shokeen, after the police left, her husband vandalised her car again, and on a third occasion, came with two other men who helped set the car on fire.

Videos of the incident seen by HT showed three men purportedly opening one of the car doors, using a rod-like tool to damage its interiors, and setting the car on fire.

Shokeen also claimed that this was not Sudhir’s first act of violence against her, alleging that in November 2023, he had tried to strangle her wither dupatta. “I am scared for my life. He is now roaming free... I have given it in writing in the police station that if something happens to me, he’ll be responsible,” she added.

Speaking to HT, Sudhir said, “I bought a car in October 2023 and in December, she sent a masked man who made scratch marks on my car. I wanted revenge.”