Delhi Police constable Manish Bhati, who was accused of shooting his wife in east Delhi's Vinod Nagar on Monday, was found dead in a park in Mayur Vihar on Tuesday evening in a suspected case of suicide, police said.

According to the police, Manish had been absconding since Monday after allegedly shooting his wife, Priyanka, 30, with his service pistol in the middle of a road in Vinod Nagar, hours after they celebrated her birthday.

Priyanka was found lying on the roadside by a passer-by, who took her to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital, where she was declared dead on arrival.

The police had formed five teams and raided places across Delhi-NCR and parts of Haryana to trace Manish.

On Tuesday evening, the police found his body, with an apparent gunshot wound to the head. “As per the initial inquiry, it seems he died by suicide. The body has been recovered and sent for post-mortem. Further investigation is under progress,” a senior police officer said.

Dowry allegations

Priyanka’s family had alleged that Manish, who was posted with the Delhi Police’s Anti-Auto Theft Squad, subjected her to dowry-related harassment since their marriage in 2023. They also told the police that Priyanka had earlier approached the women’s cell with a complaint of dowry harassment, but the matter was settled.

They told the police that the couple left their home in New Vinod Nagar at around 3 a.m. on Monday. The police said CCTV footage from the area purportedly showed the couple getting off their motorcycle near Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital and arguing before the constable allegedly pulled out his service pistol and shot his wife.

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Published - July 15, 2026 12:21 am IST