Who is Deepshikha Sharma? UP landlady's dead body found in suitcase after rent collection attempt

A couple have been arrested in Uttar Pradesh's Ghaziabad for allegedly murdering their landlady after she had visited them to collect rent.

The couple, identified as Ajay Gupta and his wife Akriti, also allegedly chopped up the body and stuffed it in a suitcase, which they kept at their rented home in the Aura Chimera residential complex, as per an NDTV report.

This comes after the victim, Deepshikha, decided to confront the couple on Wednesday over four months' worth of unpaid rent. The 48-year-old teacher is said to own two flats with her husband, Umesh—one of which was the rented house.

The couple's escape attempt was foiled by Deepshikha's maid, Meena, who had begun looking for her after her prolonged disappearance.

In her search, she came to the Guptas' rented home, and asked them about her employer's whereabouts. However, their answers made her suspicious.

After checking the CCTV cameras in the building, Meena was shocked to find that Deepshikha had entered the Guptas' home, but had not left.

Taking a risk, she intercepted the Guptas—who were allegedly trying to escape with a big suitcase—telling them that they "could not go anywhere till Didi is found".

"I told (Deepshikha) not to go to their home alone. I told her I would come with her. But she still went alone," the maid said, sadly. Deepshikha's husband, Umesh, was not home at the time, as per the report.

According to the police, a fight broke out between Deepshikha and the couple, at the end of which she was allegedly hit with a pressure cooker, and then strangled with a dupatta. After the gruesome murder, the plan was to dispose of the body, which Meena foiled.

Deepshikha's family has filed a case against the couple, who are currently in custody, a senior police officer said.