A 23-year-old woman from Karnal in Haryana, who used to work at a bar in Delhi, was found murdered near Gurugram’s Khushboo Chowk on Friday morning, The Indian Express reported.

Her colleague has filed a police complaint, alleging that a man accused of raping the 23-year-old committed the murder. At present, a court is hearing the rape case.

“It appears she has been shot in the head and chest,” said Subhash Boken, the public relations officer of Gurgaon Police. “A case has been registered under Section 302 (murder) of the IPC and relevant sections of the Arms Act, at DLF Phase 1 police station. The matter is under investigation.”

A teenage friend of the woman, who allegedly witnessed the murder, said the accused –
identified as Sandeep – shot the woman after she refused to withdraw the rape case, The Hindu reported.

According to the FIR, Sandeep called the woman in the early hours of Friday and asked her to meet him. The woman and her friend reached her room in DLF Phase-III, where Sandeep arrived with his friend and the four went out for food around 2 am.

When they returned around 5.30 am, Sandeep asked the woman’s mother and sister, who were visiting her, to persuade her to withdraw the rape case. The 23-year-old refused and after that the four left the room and drove towards Faridabad. When they reached Khushboo Chowk around 6.30 am, Sandeep stopped the car and reportedly pulled the woman out. He threatened to shoot her if she did not withdraw the case. When she refused, Sandeep allegedly shot her.

The women reportedly met Sandeep, a bouncer, when she arrived in Gurugram four years back. The two moved in together and lived together for two years, when the woman reportedly learnt that Sandeep was married. She lodged a rape case against him in November 2017, The Hindu reported. Sandeep was arrested and released on bail in June. The following month, the two started living together again, the police claimed.