diff --git a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CompactionState.java b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CompactionState.java
index 74f873b..ef4284e 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CompactionState.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CompactionState.java
@@ -14,6 +14,7 @@ class CompactionState {
 
     File nextWalFile;
     File nextDataFile;
+    File nextDeletedKeysFile;
 
     boolean runningForTooLong() {
         return System.currentTimeMillis() - start > 30 * 60 * 1000;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/Config.java b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/Config.java
index 79a9316..ba69e92 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/Config.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/Config.java
@@ -39,6 +39,8 @@ public class Config {
     static final int MIN_OPEN_FD_COUNT = 1;
     static final int MAX_OPEN_FD_COUNT = 100;
 
+    static final int MAX_KEYS_IN_SET_FOR_DELETION = 20; // every 20 keys write to deletion files
+
     // Must have parameters
     boolean autoCompact = true;
     int valueSize;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDB.java b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDB.java
index 483e781..ba39493 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDB.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDB.java
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@
 import com.clevertap.stormdb.internal.RandomAccessFilePool;
 import com.clevertap.stormdb.utils.ByteUtil;
 import com.clevertap.stormdb.utils.RecordUtil;
+import gnu.trove.procedure.TIntProcedure;
+import gnu.trove.set.hash.TIntHashSet;
 import java.io.BufferedOutputStream;
 import java.io.DataOutputStream;
 import java.io.File;
@@ -50,6 +52,7 @@ public class StormDB {
     private static final String FILE_NAME_DATA = "data";
     private static final String FILE_NAME_WAL = "wal";
     private static final String FILE_TYPE_NEXT = ".next";
+    private static final String FILE_NAME_DELETED_KEYS = "keysDeleted";
 
     /**
      * Key: The actual key within this KV store.
@@ -58,6 +61,11 @@ public class StormDB {
      */
     private final IndexMap index;
 
+    /**
+     * Set to hold keys that have been deleted so far
+     */
+    private final TIntHashSet deletedKeysSet = new TIntHashSet();
+
     private BitSet dataInWalFile = new BitSet();
 
     private final ReentrantReadWriteLock rwLock = new ReentrantReadWriteLock();
@@ -76,8 +84,10 @@ public class StormDB {
 
     private File dataFile;
     private File walFile;
+    private File deletedKeysFile;
 
     private DataOutputStream walOut;
+    private DataOutputStream deleteKeysOut;
 
     private Thread tWorker;
     private final Object compactionSync;
@@ -116,6 +126,7 @@ public class StormDB {
 
         dataFile = new File(dbDirFile.getAbsolutePath() + File.separator + FILE_NAME_DATA);
         walFile = new File(dbDirFile.getAbsolutePath() + File.separator + FILE_NAME_WAL);
+        deletedKeysFile = new File(dbDirFile.getAbsoluteFile() + File.separator + FILE_NAME_DELETED_KEYS);
 
         // Open DB.
         final File metaFile = new File(conf.getDbDir() + "/meta");
@@ -138,6 +149,7 @@ public class StormDB {
         }
 
         initWalOut();
+        initDeletedKeyOut();
 
         recover();
         buildIndex();
@@ -231,6 +243,10 @@ private void initWalOut() throws FileNotFoundException {
         bytesInWalFile = walFile.length();
     }
 
+    private void initDeletedKeyOut() throws  FileNotFoundException {
+        deleteKeysOut = new DataOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(deletedKeysFile, true));
+    }
+
     private boolean shouldFlushBuffer() {
         return System.currentTimeMillis() - lastBufferFlushTimeMs > conf
                 .getBufferFlushTimeoutMs();
@@ -387,6 +403,7 @@ public void compact() throws IOException {
                 // This is because we will be resetting bytesInWalFile below and we need to get all
                 // buffer to file so that their offsets are honoured.
                 flush();
+                flushDeletedKeys();
 
                 LOG.info("Beginning compaction with bytesInWalFile={}", bytesInWalFile);
                 // Check whether there was any data coming in. If not simply bail out.
@@ -399,8 +416,11 @@ public void compact() throws IOException {
                 compactionState.nextWalFile = new File(dbDirFile.getAbsolutePath()
                         + File.separator + FILE_NAME_WAL + FILE_TYPE_NEXT);
 
+                compactionState.nextDeletedKeysFile = new File(dbDirFile.getAbsoluteFile() + File.separator + FILE_NAME_DELETED_KEYS + FILE_TYPE_NEXT);
+
                 // Create new walOut File
                 walOut = new DataOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(compactionState.nextWalFile));
+                deleteKeysOut = new DataOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(compactionState.nextDeletedKeysFile));
                 bytesInWalFile = 0;
                 compactionState.nextFileRecordIndex = 0;
 
@@ -413,6 +433,8 @@ public void compact() throws IOException {
             compactionState.nextDataFile = new File(dbDirFile.getAbsolutePath() + File.separator +
                     FILE_NAME_DATA + FILE_TYPE_NEXT);
 
+            // 1. read delete file and create a set for deleted keys
+            // 2. move the new file to previous delete file
             try (final BufferedOutputStream out =
                     new BufferedOutputStream(new FileOutputStream(compactionState.nextDataFile),
                             buffer.getWriteBufferSize())) {
@@ -437,6 +459,7 @@ public void compact() throws IOException {
                 // First rename prevWalFile and prevDataFile so that .next can be renamed
                 walFile = move(compactionState.nextWalFile, walFile).toFile();
                 dataFile = move(compactionState.nextDataFile, dataFile).toFile();
+                deletedKeysFile = move(compactionState.nextDeletedKeysFile, deletedKeysFile).toFile();
 
                 // Now make bitsets point right.
                 dataInWalFile = compactionState.dataInNextWalFile;
@@ -571,6 +594,63 @@ public void flush() throws IOException {
         }
     }
 
+    private void readFromDeletedKeysFile(RandomAccessFile file, Consumer<Integer> entryConsumer) throws IOException{
+        ByteBuffer bufferDeletedKeys = ByteBuffer.allocate(4); // will hold 10 keys
+        while(true) {
+            bufferDeletedKeys.clear();
+            final int bytesRead = file.read(bufferDeletedKeys.array());
+            if (bytesRead == -1) {
+                break;
+            }
+            entryConsumer.accept(bufferDeletedKeys.getInt());
+        }
+    }
+
+    private TIntHashSet getKeysToBeDeletedFromFile(final boolean useLatestWalFile, final boolean readInMemoryBuffer) throws IOException{
+        TIntHashSet keysToBeDeleted = new TIntHashSet();
+
+        Consumer<Integer> entryConsumer = keyToBeDeleted -> {
+            int address = index.get(keyToBeDeleted);
+            if (address == RESERVED_KEY_MARKER) {
+                // delete only when key is not set in index
+                // because a set value will itself overwrite previous value so no need to delete
+                keysToBeDeleted.add(keyToBeDeleted);
+            }
+        };
+
+        final ArrayList<RandomAccessFile> filesToRead = new ArrayList<>(2);
+
+        if (isCompactionInProgress() && useLatestWalFile && compactionState.nextDeletedKeysFile.exists()) {
+            final RandomAccessFileWrapper reader = filePool.borrowObject(compactionState.nextDeletedKeysFile);
+            reader.seek(0);
+            filesToRead.add(reader);
+        }
+
+        if (deletedKeysFile.exists()) {
+            final RandomAccessFileWrapper reader = filePool.borrowObject(deletedKeysFile);
+            reader.seek(0);
+            filesToRead.add(reader);
+        }
+
+        if (readInMemoryBuffer) {
+            deletedKeysSet.forEach(new TIntProcedure() {
+                @Override
+                public boolean execute(int i) {
+                    entryConsumer.accept(i);
+                    return true;
+                }
+            });
+        }
+        // read from the deletedKeysFile
+        for (RandomAccessFile file: filesToRead) {
+            readFromDeletedKeysFile(file, entryConsumer);
+            filePool.returnObject(((RandomAccessFileWrapper) file).getFile(),
+                (RandomAccessFileWrapper) file);
+        }
+
+        return keysToBeDeleted;
+    }
+
     public void iterate(final EntryConsumer consumer) throws IOException {
         iterate(true, true, consumer);
     }
@@ -609,11 +689,14 @@ private void iterate(final boolean useLatestWalFile, final boolean readInMemoryB
             rwLock.readLock().unlock();
         }
 
+        // first iterate over the deleteKeys file and create a set out of that and then use that set with index to check if a key should be deleted or not
+        TIntHashSet keysToBeDeleted = getKeysToBeDeletedFromFile(useLatestWalFile, readInMemoryBuffer);
+
         final BitSet keysRead = new BitSet(index.size());
 
         final Consumer<ByteBuffer> entryConsumer = entry -> {
             final int key = entry.getInt();
-            final boolean b = keysRead.get(key);
+            final boolean b = keysRead.get(key) || keysToBeDeleted.contains(key);
             if (!b) {
                 try {
                     consumer.accept(key, entry.array(), entry.position());
@@ -718,6 +801,49 @@ public byte[] randomGet(final int key) throws IOException, StormDBException {
         }
     }
 
+    private void flushDeletedKeys() throws IOException {
+        // flush the deleteSet keys to file
+        rwLock.writeLock().lock();
+        try {
+            if (deleteKeysOut == null || deletedKeysSet.isEmpty()) {
+                return;
+            }
+
+            ByteBuffer deletedKeysBuffer = ByteBuffer.allocate(4 * deletedKeysSet.size());
+
+            deletedKeysSet.forEach(new TIntProcedure() {
+                @Override
+                public boolean execute(int key) {
+                    deletedKeysBuffer.putInt(key);
+                    return true;
+                }
+            });
+
+            deleteKeysOut.write(deletedKeysBuffer.array(), 0, deletedKeysBuffer.position());
+            deleteKeysOut.flush();
+        } finally {
+            rwLock.writeLock().unlock();
+        }
+        deletedKeysSet.clear();
+    }
+
+
+    public void remove(int key) throws IOException, StormDBException {
+
+        final int recordIndexForKey = index.get(key);
+        if (recordIndexForKey == RESERVED_KEY_MARKER) {
+            return; // no deletion
+        }
+
+        deletedKeysSet.add(key);
+        index.remove(key);
+
+        if (deletedKeysSet.size() >= Config.MAX_KEYS_IN_SET_FOR_DELETION) {
+            // write to file
+            flushDeletedKeys();
+        }
+    }
+
     public void close() throws IOException, InterruptedException {
         flush();
         shutDown = true;
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/DefaultIndexMap.java b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/DefaultIndexMap.java
index d108def..0e5d7a3 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/DefaultIndexMap.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/DefaultIndexMap.java
@@ -31,4 +31,7 @@ public int get(int key) {
     public int size() {
         return indexMap.size();
     }
+
+    @Override
+    public int remove(int key) { return indexMap.remove(key); }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/IndexMap.java b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/IndexMap.java
index 038e45f..02c1d05 100644
--- a/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/IndexMap.java
+++ b/src/main/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/maps/IndexMap.java
@@ -26,4 +26,11 @@ public interface IndexMap {
      * @return Size of the index.
      */
     int size();
+
+    /**
+     * API to support key deletion from the map
+     * @param key The key to be deleted
+     * @return
+     */
+    int remove(int key);
 }
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CustomIndexMapTest.java b/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CustomIndexMapTest.java
index 93ce5ba..3836bcb 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CustomIndexMapTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/CustomIndexMapTest.java
@@ -43,6 +43,11 @@ public int get(int key) {
                     public int size() {
                         return kvCache.size();
                     }
+
+                    @Override
+                    public int remove(int key) {
+                        return kvCache.remove(key);
+                    }
                 })
                 .build();
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDBTest.java b/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDBTest.java
index babd241..988e6f9 100644
--- a/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDBTest.java
+++ b/src/test/java/com/clevertap/stormdb/StormDBTest.java
@@ -716,17 +716,24 @@ void testMidWayFileDelete() throws IOException {
         }
     }
 
-    @Test
-    void testInMemoryUpdate() throws IOException, StormDBException {
+    StormDB getStormDBInstance(final int valueSize) throws IOException{
         final Path path = Files.createTempDirectory("stormdb");
 
-        final int valueSize = 28;
         final StormDB db = new StormDBBuilder()
             .withDbDir(path.toString())
             .withValueSize(valueSize)
             .withAutoCompactDisabled()
             .build();
 
+        return db;
+    }
+
+    @Test
+    void testInMemoryUpdate() throws IOException, StormDBException {
+        final int valueSize = 28;
+
+        StormDB db = getStormDBInstance(valueSize);
+
         assertEquals(0, db.size());
 
         int[] keysToInsert = {1, 2, 3, 1, 2};
@@ -753,4 +760,58 @@ void testInMemoryUpdate() throws IOException, StormDBException {
         });
         assertEquals(3, db.size());
     }
+
+    @Test
+    public void testKeysDeletion() throws IOException, StormDBException{
+        final int valueSize = 28;
+        StormDB db = getStormDBInstance(valueSize);
+        // insert some keys
+        int totalEntries = 115;
+        ByteBuffer value = ByteBuffer.allocate(valueSize);
+        for (int i = 1; i <= totalEntries; i++) {
+            value.clear();
+            value.putInt(i);
+            db.put(i, value.array());
+        }
+
+        int[] total = {0};
+
+        db.iterate((key, data, offset) -> {
+            ByteBuffer dataValue = ByteBuffer.wrap(data, offset, valueSize);
+            assertEquals(key,   dataValue.getInt());
+            total[0]++;
+        });
+
+        assertEquals(totalEntries, total[0]);
+        // now delete every even number
+        total[0] = 0;
+
+        // simple deletion
+        for (int i = 1;i <= totalEntries; i++) {
+            if (i%2 == 0) {
+                db.remove(i);
+            }
+            if (i % 3 == 0) {
+                value.clear();
+                value.putInt(i);
+                db.put(i, value.array());
+            }
+        }
+        db.iterate((key, data, offset) -> {
+            ByteBuffer dataValue = ByteBuffer.wrap(data, offset, valueSize);
+            assertEquals(key,   dataValue.getInt());
+            total[0]++;
+        });
+        assertEquals(77, total[0]);
+
+        // compaction based deletion
+        db.compact();
+        total[0] = 0;
+        db.iterate((key, data, offset) -> {
+            ByteBuffer dataValue = ByteBuffer.wrap(data, offset, valueSize);
+            assertEquals(key,   dataValue.getInt());
+            total[0]++;
+        });
+        assertEquals(77, total[0]);
+    }
 }
\ No newline at end of file