The Desi Crime Podcast
Desi Studios
Desi Killers, Desi Kidnappers, Desi Criminals - find them here. Brought to you by Aryaan Misra and Aishwarya Singh, powered by The Desi Studios. We are your one stop shop for all things Desi, and all things Crazy. Support the work we do by becoming a patron: https://www.patreon.com/thedesistudios Tooooooooo much of true crime is centered around America - New York murder this and Chicago Killer that. What about the Delhi Dons and Karachi killers and Bangladeshi Burglars?! If you are tired of the the same-old American murderer, British killer, Australian kidnapper, Canadian stalker… NO MORE! The Desi Crime Podcast brings DESI crimes. From India, Pakistan, Nepal and other brown communities, we’ll bring you cases that can only be described as Desi. Crimes that take place in the Indian subcontinent aren’t remotely similar to Western crimes— desi crimes are gory, complicated, corrupt and hardly documented. After thorough research on the most sinister cases, we’ll take you on a bumpy, jaw dropping ride around South Asia. Stay Crazy. Stay Desi.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 17, 2022 • 38min
55. Brutal Rape & Murder of Indian Nurse
The case that we have for you today is as much about the crime as what happened next, about death as much as life. It is about morality as much as ethics, as much about the society we seek to create as much as the punishment it doles out to those who threaten it. This case will come to be discussed by generations of Indian law students. It is the story of a 25-year-old nurse just seeking to make a difference, help those in need, and live a normal, happy life. And then, on the night of 27th November 1973, the actions of one man changed this woman’s life forever and pushed her into a 42-year-long nightmare. This is the story of a case that moved India and moved the world. This is the story of Aruna Shanbaug.
Sep 9, 2022 • 35min
54. The Disappearance of Khyati Shreshtha - Nepal
Today\'s episode comes all the way from Nepal, where a young girl had big dreams like any other. Her doting family moved across cities and states, all for the sake of their daughter’s promising future, until that young girl got a phone call that changed her life forever. Soon after, her parents got a phone call too -- a call that shattered the life they had built and all the happiness within it. This is the story of that young girl. This is the story of Khyati Shreshtha.
Sep 3, 2022 • 35min
53. The Case of Qandeel Baloch - Pakistan
‘How I’m looking? Beautiful, sexy, or hot?’ One could have easily mistaken these words to be uttered by a Kim Kardashian, a Kendal Jenner or some other young woman on Instagram seeking fame, if only it was not for the broken English. The broken English, how I’m looking, not how am I looking, hides a story much deeper and significant than an appeal for likes on social media. The minor grammatical difference underscores a world altogether different than the one of tiktok stars. These words, as salacious and incorrectly framed as they maybe, mark a struggle if one chooses to read between the lines. These were the very words that gave a woman in Pakistan a new, a life she had always desired. But the very same words were also responsible for snatching away her life from her. This is the story of that woman from Pakistan who simply yearned for a better life; this is the story of Qandeel Baloch.
Aug 27, 2022 • 46min
52. The Case of Ruchika Girhotra - India
When we cover these cases, the ones that hit the hardest are those with the clearest injustice: deep-rooted, disturbing, and plain to see. Cases where the very ones tasked with righting injustice — our parents, our schools, our police — are the ones who perpetrate it. It makes all of our blood boil to hear of lives destroyed, families torn apart, futures snatched over trivialities. If you feel this way too, this case is your worst nightmare come to life: a nightmare one 14-year-old girl had to live through 32 years ago. This is a case that shook India to its core. This is the story of Ruchika Girhotra.
Aug 20, 2022 • 35min
51. The Tale of the Patels - UK/India
The perfect marriage, a goal for so many of us. To find that one person that they can spend their life with. Seldom do people find such a partner, but when they do, two worlds meet in remarkable union. What happens when that one person is taken away from you? What happens when that oh-so-perfect partner is no more? Well, this is one such story. The story of union that was simply never meant to be; this is the story of Mitesh and Jessica Patel.
Aug 13, 2022 • 34min
50. The Mysterious Death of Sushant Singh Rajput - India
2020 was a weird and unfortunate year for everyone. Even for those of us who didn’t suffer the loss of someone close to us, death seemed like it was all around. It was unprecedented that we found ourselves in the middle of a global pandemic, locked inside our houses for months on end. By the time June 2020 rolled around with the pandemic in full swing, Bollywood had already lost two major film stars in Irfan Khan and Rishi Kapoor when suddenly, on the 14th of June, the news of another death flashed on every Indian’s TV screen and this one took the country by storm. 34 year old Bollywood superstar Sushant Singh Rajput found dead in his apartment. The reason for his death? Suicide by hanging. But was it? If you’ve wondered the answer to this question for 3 years now, you’ve come to the right place. This is the story of the mysterious death of Sushant Singh Rajput.
Aug 6, 2022 • 36min
49. The Tandoor Murder - India
When you visit an Indian restaurant, from the god awfully long menu, there is one genre of food item that always stands out— us desis are in fact known for this around the world. The tandoor. From tandoori naan to tandoori chicken, and hell, tandoori paneer for all our vegetarian listeners out there, the tandoor is an integral part of any brown kid’s childhood. But this seemingly innocent cylindrical clay oven found itself embroiled in a case that captured and haunted Delhities for years; this cylindrical clay oven stood at the center of a love story, a hate story and an impeccable investigation conducted by the Delhi police in the late 90s. This is the story of that clay over; this is the story of the Tandoor murder.
Jul 30, 2022 • 40min
48. Mysterious Gurugram School Murder (Pt.2) - India
On September 8, 2017, a 7-year-old child was found dead inside a famous school in Gurugram. Soon it became obvious that his death was no accident. The deep cut on his neck and the knife found at the scene pointed to a sinister plot. Until recently, the Haryana police paraded their murderer and declared the case closed. But did they accuse the right person? Did bus conductor Ashok Kumar murder Pradyuman after a failed attempt at sexually assaulting the child? Or was this story far more complicated than it seemed?
Welcome to part 2 of The Mysterious Gurugram School Murder.
Jul 22, 2022 • 42min
47. Mysterious Gurugram School Murder (Pt.1) - India
On September 8 2017, a loving father drove his two kids—his 7-year-old son and his 11-year-old daughter— to school just like any other morning. He smiled and waved goodbye to his children just before 8:00am, and barely 20 minutes later, his life had changed forever. His world had come crashing down in front of his eyes. This is the story of his 7-year-old child. This is the story of Pradyuman Thakur.
Jul 16, 2022 • 27min
46. The Shafia Family Murders (Pt.3) - Afghanistan/Canada
Zainab is on the run. Her siblings are terrified. Shafia is plotting a mass murder. But how did a plan to murder Zainab and possibly Rona develop into a plan to murder Sahar and Geeti too? How did they bring Zainab back from the shelter? What went down inside that Nissan Sentra just moments before it drowned, killing 4 women? And what was it all for? Find out in part 3 of The Shafia Family Murders.
