Meerut, June 4 -- Twenty-year-old Saira was stabbed by a stalker 40 times with a screwdriver, in a maize field, after a heated argument, in Moradabad district. The accused, Mohammad Rafi, a chicken meat seller from the same village, has been arrested and sent to jail. The tragedy unfolded when Saira, who had gone to the nearby forest to cut grass, called Rafi and asked him to meet her in a maize field located around 200 metres from her house. As per police, the two got into a heated exchange during which Saira slapped Rafi. Enraged, Rafi allegedly strangled her with her stole until she lost consciousness. He then launched a frenzied attack using a screwdriver, stabbing her multiple times in the neck, abdomen, and even her private parts. The accused confessed to the crime during police interrogation and claimed that Saira had initiated the meeting. "During the argument, she told him not to contact her again. When he refused, she slapped him. In a fit of rage, he strangled her and then stabbed her repeatedly," said inspector-in-charge Kiran Pal. The post-mortem report revealed that the victim suffered 40 stab wounds. Though there were clear signs of strangulation, the cause of death was identified as excessive bleeding. By the time the body was discovered on Sunday morning, wild animals had nipped at it, as the corpse had remained in the field overnight. Nearby, police recovered a sickle, a scarf, and her slippers. Shafina, Saira's inconsolable mother, filed a named FIR against Rafi. The police acted quickly and arrested the accused, recovering the screwdriver used in the murder and Saira's mobile phone from his possession. Rafi was presented in court on Monday and has since been sent to jail. Saira, the fifth of six siblings, had already lost her father a year ago. SSP, Satpal Antil, visited the crime scene and directed officers to ensure a watertight case against the accused. "We have taken all necessary steps. The case will be pursued diligently to ensure justice is delivered," he said....