‘Wanted man’ Pawan Bhati held for murdering maternal uncle for property

The murder of the victim, identified as Vikram Mavi, took place on May 11 and the body was found near Loni border in Uttar Pradesh, police said. The body had over 50 injuries, with swords, knives, rods and a pistol used in the crime

A 29-year-old businessman, a history sheeter, was arrested by Delhi Police from RK Puram in south Delhi for allegedly killing his maternal uncle in a dispute over ancestral property, police said.

Pawan Bhati was wanted for involvement in cases of murder, attempted murder, assault and Arms Act. (Representative photo/Getty Images)

The murder of the victim, identified as Vikram Mavi, took place on May 11 and the body was found near Loni border in Uttar Pradesh, police said. The body had over 50 injuries, with swords, knives, rods and a pistol used in the crime, police said.

Police identified the accused as Pawan Bhati, who is a “wanted man” in Delhi and Uttar Pradesh. Police made the arrest after an informed tipped them off about a “tall man carrying a star model pistol” in Sector 1, RK Puram.

An investigator said, “The information came to us on May 18. It was about a man who was carrying illegal weapons. A team rushed to the spot to nab the accused person. The man was outside the Khalsa restaurant when we caught him with his pistol. He was then identified as Bhati. He was questioned and formally arrested a day later.”

Police said prior to his arrest, 11 of his associates were detained.

Senior police officers said they started looking for Bhati by contacting his relatives and friends, but he wasn’t found in Loni, Noida or Delhi. Bhati is involved in cases of murder, attempted murder, assault and Arms Act, they said.

Deputy commissioner of police (southwest) Rohit Meena said Bhati is involved in five more heinous crimes and that he was also booked under the Goondas Act.

Meena said, “We questioned him and found that the deceased had fought with him earlier this month. The fight was over a property in their town. To take revenge, Bhati and his associates picked up knives, rods, swords and a pistol. They attacked Mavi near Loni border and left his body there. Bhati fired at least eight rounds from his pistol.”

Meena said Bhati was eventually planning to meet a friend who was going to take him to a hiding place and hand him some cash to flee the city. “We have also arrested the man who sold him the pistol. Bhati and his family run a dairy and sell milk. His family has a property dispute with his maternal uncle, which had led to multiple litigations,” Meena said.