An Army men is supposed to be a protector or defender but not a killer, but a 42-year-old Lieutenant Colonel posted in Dehradun was arrested by the city police on Monday for allegedly killing a 25-year-old woman from Siliguri by smashing her head with a hammer and then dumping her body next to a road here.

As reported by the TimesofIndia, the Police said the accused, who is married and has a two-year-old child, has been identified as Lt Col Ramendu Upadhyay. He had allegedly met the woman during his posting in West Bengal, where "she used to work at a dance bar".

SSP (Dehradun) Daleep Singh Kunwar said, "After meeting the woman at a dance bar in 2020, Lt Col Upadhyay was involved in an illicit relation with her and lived together with the woman as a 'couple' in Siliguri. He got posted in Dehradun in July, but continued the relationship. He then called her to Dehradun where his wife came to know about it."

After 'murder', accused Lt Col parked vehicle and went home

Lt Col Ramendu Upadhyay later arranged a rented place for the woman in the city's Clement Town area and continued to meet her there. The woman then started putting pressure on him to marry her. The wife of the accused also met the woman and they had a heated argument, said SSP (Dehradun) Daleep Singh Kunwar.

After the "quarrel", Upadhyay decided to get rid of the woman. "As per the plan, he took her for a night out to a city bar on Saturday.

They later went for a long drive around Dehradun and passed by Thano forest where he smashed her head with a hammer. He then dumped her body next to the road," the SSP said.

After the "murder", the accused parked the vehicle and went home. Some local residents found the woman's body the next day and police initiated an investigation.

Cops initially took him away from his house for questioning during which he confessed the crime. A case of murder has been registered against him and he has been arrested.