:The Mandi police on Saturday arrested nine people, including two women, for the murder of a 50-year-old man on March 17.
Those accused have been identified as Surender Kumar, Sahil Garg, Yashpal, Rahil, Abhinav, Dharampal, Dayavanti, Kamlesh Kumari and Satish Kumar.
Mandi superintendent of police (SP) Shalini Agnihotri said that last Thursday, they received information that a man, who was being chased by some people, had allegedly jumped into the Beas River from Bheuli Bridge. She said that a police team was dispatched to the spot, but the body of the victim, identified as 50-year-old Rajkumar, was retrieved on Friday by divers.
On analysing CCTV footage, it was found that some people were chasing the victim after which the police registered a case under Sections 307 (attempt to murder), 147 (rioting) and 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence commit¬ted in prosecution of common object) at Sadar police station.
Agnihotri said that during investigation, it was found that the accused and the victim have were neighbours and had a quarrel on Thursday, the day when Holi was being celebrate in the town.
After the tiff, Rajkumar left the spot, but the accused started searching for him. They found him near the Bheuli Bridge and upon seeing the accused, he jumped from the bridge. “In the video footage, it is seen that one of the accused hit the deceased on head with a stick, after which he fell into the river. They also pelted stones at him when he was drowning,” said Agnihotri.
{{/usCountry}}After the tiff, Rajkumar left the spot, but the accused started searching for him. They found him near the Bheuli Bridge and upon seeing the accused, he jumped from the bridge. “In the video footage, it is seen that one of the accused hit the deceased on head with a stick, after which he fell into the river. They also pelted stones at him when he was drowning,” said Agnihotri.
{{/usCountry}}She said the autopsy has been conducted and body has been handed over to the family. “Section 302 (murder) has been added to the FIR and further investigations are on,” the SP said.