Meerut, May 28 -- In Meerut,a 17-year-old Class 12 student was allegedly strangled to death by her father and stepmother inside their home in Gokuldham Society under the Bhavanpur police station area. The accused, police said of Wednesday, allegedly performed the teenager's last rites secretly before relatives were informed about the death. Police have arrested the victim's father, Kapil Bhardwaj, after he allegedly confessed to the crime during interrogation. A case has also been registered against his second wife, Pinki, who is being questioned by investigators. The victim, identified as Khushi alias Khushboo, was studying in Class 12 and had been living with her father and younger brother Radhe in the society. According to police, the matter came to light on Tuesday afternoon when the girl's maternal uncle, Bhupendra Sharma, arrived from Hapur and lodged a complaint accusing Kapil and Pinki of murdering the teenager. In his complaint, Bhupendra Sharma, a resident of Pannapuri in Hapur, stated that his sister Preeti was married to Kapil Bhardwaj in 2009. The couple had two children - Khushi and Radhe. However, in 2017, Preeti died under suspicious circumstances. Sharma alleged that barely six months after her death, Kapil married Pinki and the family began living in Gokuldham Society in Meerut. According to relatives, the children continued living with their father after the second marriage. The complainant said he received a call from a neighbour around 3 pm informing him that his niece had died. Sensing foul play, he rushed to Meerut with family members and approached police. By the time relatives reached Meerut, the accused had allegedly already conducted the girl's last rites quietly in an apparent attempt to destroy evidence and avoid suspicion. Police and forensic teams later visited the residence and began collecting evidence. Senior Superintendent of Police Avinash Pandey confirmed that Kapil Bhardwaj had been arrested and said investigators were examining multiple aspects of the case. "During questioning, the accused father has been giving different explanations for the murder. The matter is being thoroughly investigated," the SSP said. Police said that even after allegedly confessing to the murder, Kapil attempted to justify his actions by claiming that complaints frequently came from Khushi's school and that she used a mobile phone excessively. Meanwhile, when questioned by women police personnel, Pinki allegedly tried to mislead investigators by insisting that the teenager had died due to illness. Investigators suspect the murder may have been linked to a property dispute. Preliminary findings indicate that the accused may have wanted to prevent Khushi from claiming a share in the family property. Investigators further revealed that after Pinki gave birth to a daughter, the couple allegedly began harassing Khushi, the daughter from Kapil's first marriage. Authorities are now probing whether the teenager had been facing prolonged abuse before her death. The investigation is ongoing, and police are going to question more people connected to the family in the coming days....