Malihabad rape bid, murder: Main accused killed in police encounter, brother arrested
The police also seized the e-auto-rickshaw from Dinesh’s possession that was allegedly used by the accused for abducting the woman on the pretext of ferrying her to Chinhat, where the deceased’s brother lives
LUCKNOW Two brothers with criminal background were behind the sensational murder and alleged rape bid on the 32-year-old woman, whose body was found dumped in a mango orchard in Malihabad on Wednesday. Nearly 72 hours after the crime, the Lucknow Police on Friday night gunned down the main accused, Ajay Kumar, 26, with a ₹1 lakh bounty and arrested his brother Dinesh Kumar, 35, of Dubagga, earlier in the day.

The police also seized the e-autorickshaw from Dinesh’s possession that was allegedly used by the accused for abducting the woman on the pretext of ferrying her to Chinhat, where the deceased’s brother lives.
“Ajay Kumar was injured in retaliatory firing by the police. He was taken to the KGMU, where doctors declared him dead,” said commissioner of police Amrendra K Sengar.
According to police sources, Dinesh informed the police about his brother’s whereabouts. Subsequently, crime branch in-charge Shivanand Mishra laid siege near Deva restaurant in Malihabad. Around 9:30pm, when Ajay was seen coming on a bike, cops surrounded him and tried to nab him, but Ajay opened fire and was shot dead in retaliatory firing by the police.
“Dinesh was held on Friday morning, on the basis of surveillance and information from informers. A joint team of Malihabad police, Crime Branch and Surveillance Cell (western zone) was formed to uncover this incident. The teams verified the footage of hundreds of CCTV cameras and the list of e-rickshaw holders between Alambagh and the site of incident, ”said Vishwajeet Srivastava, deputy commissioner of police (west).
According to the DCP, on the basis of interrogation, Sections 64(1) (rape) and 309(4) (robbery) of the BNS were added to the earlier FIR under murder charges.
“The original academic certificates of the deceased have been recovered from the possession of Dinesh,” said officials.
After taking her to a secluded place in Malihabad, both the accused first looted her, attempted to rape her and then choked her to death when she resisted, added the DCP.
As the woman repeatedly kept updating her brother and sister-in-law about her live location when the auto drivers took the wrong direction, it angered the accused Ajay . “He first snatched her phone and then smothered her so that she couldn’t make any noise,” the co-accused told police during interrogation.
ABOUT THE AUTHORAakash GhoshAakash Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent with Hindustan Times, based in Lucknow, where he covers crime, policing and law and order across Uttar Pradesh, with a special focus on developments in the state capital. His reporting also spans railways, science and technology, and culture and heritage, alongside in-depth coverage of governance, public safety and civic issues. He has a keen interest in off-beat and human-interest stories that uncover untold narratives and build a meaningful connection with readers. Over the years, Aakash has reported extensively on major crime investigations, policing reforms, cybercrime, infrastructure, public transport and heritage conservation, combining on-ground reporting with data-driven storytelling. His work is driven by a commitment to accuracy, accountability and public interest journalism. Before joining Hindustan Times in Lucknow, he trained and worked with several prominent print and digital newsrooms in Mumbai, Patna and Kolkata, covering diverse beats including features, entertainment and culture, and breaking news. These experiences helped shape his versatile reporting style and strong news sense across platforms. His investigative reporting has earned industry recognition, including the prestigious P.D. Tandon Award for Outstanding Journalism for an investigation that exposed narcotics networks operating in the state capital, reinforcing his commitment to impactful, public-interest journalism.Read More

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