Inspired by India's longest running TV series, woman kills lover

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The World

Supposedly inspired by India's longest running TV serial, a 43-year-old woman and her assistant have been arrested for allegedly murdering a businessman whose decomposed body was found in a New Delhi apartment earlier this month, the Indian Express reports.

The television series, C.I.D. (Crime Investigation Department), is known for ludicrous twists on forensic investigation techniques -- in which even the Indian police is hardly expert. But that has been no bar to its popularity, or, apparently, its influence.

Aired on Sony Entertainment Television, the crime series knocked off the ubiquitous 'saas bahu' soap operas to become India's longest running serial with a run of 12 consecutive years, and until recently remained SET's most popular program.

According to police, it was especially inspiring to a Mumbai restaurant owner who goes by the single name Krishna, who police said hired a man to kill her boyfriend, Somnath Suverna, and then try to obscure his identity by pouring acid on his face. 

"On interrogation, she disclosed that during her stay in Mumbai she met Suverna and started living with him. Later, they fought over financial matters and she decided to get rid of him," the Hindustan Times quoted police officer AK Ojha as saying. Saying that she got the idea to kill Suverna from watching C.I.D., Krishna told police that Suverna used to extort money from her, according to HT.

The Indian Express said that Krishna hired Rakesh Govind More (35) for Rs 1.5 lakh (around $3500) to kill Suverna. Krishna separated from her husband in 2005 and had been staying in Mumbai with her two children, theh paper said.

According to police, Krishna travelled to Delhi with Suverna on June 8, the Express said. More also travelled in the same train in a different coach. “On reaching Delhi, More approached a property dealer as Raj Kumar and rented a room in Mansa Ram Park in Bindapur. Krishna came to the house two days later with Suverna and mixed sleeping pills in his curd [yogurt] and whisky. More was already present there and as soon as Suverna became unconscious, the accused strangled him,” Ojha added.

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