Ghaziabad: 23-yr-old man held for killing 21-yr-old neighbour

Ghaziabad: A 23-year-old man was arrested in Ghaziabad on Monday for allegedly murdering a 21-year-old neighbour, who along with his friends used to ridicule him for performing religious prayers and other rituals, police officials said on Tuesday

Ghaziabad: A 23-year-old man was arrested in Ghaziabad on Monday for allegedly murdering a 21-year-old neighbour, who along with his friends used to ridicule him for performing religious prayers and other rituals, police officials said on Tuesday.

The murder came to light after the deceased stepped out of his home at Pathuri area for a walk around 5pm on Sunday but did not return. His phone also switched off. (Representational image)

According to police, the murder came to light after the deceased stepped out of his home at Pathuri area for a walk around 5pm on Sunday but did not return. His phone also switched off.

On Monday morning, some locals spotted a blood-stained body in a plastic bag in fields near Pathuri in Modinagar’s Niwari. Police were informed and a visiting team found the body carrying multiple injuries inflicted by some sharp-edged weapon.

“There were around five to six deep injuries, and even the eyes were attacked. Upon local information, the body was identified to be of a person who went missing on Sunday evening… On Monday, through local information, electronic surveillance, and CCTV footage, the suspect was spotted and identified. Police arrested him from his house and also confiscated the phone of the deceased,” deputy commissioner of police (DCP) (rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari told HT on Tuesday.

“The deceased and his friends often ridiculed the suspect by calling him ‘baba’ since he was quite inclined towards religious rituals. It made him angry. On Sunday evening, he spotted the deceased alone, and confronted him. He was having a sickle and attacked the victim on neck. After injuring the victim, he dragged him into the agricultural fields and landed multiple blows on his body and also on his eyes and fled,” the DCP added.

Before fleeing, the suspect allegedly stuffed the body in a plastic bag and hid it in the fields, said officials.

On the same day, in the afternoon (July 5), the suspect had also allegedly attacked a 30-year-old friend of the deceased with a screwdriver, inflicting multiple injuries to him, the officials added.

An FIR was registered against the suspect at Niwari police station under multiple section of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). “As the nature of injuries was simple, and the sections carried punishment below seven years. So, the police did not arrest him at that time,” the DCP added.

HT has a copy of the FIR.

Police said that for the murder of the 21-year-old, a separate FIR was registered following a complaint from the father of the deceased against the suspect under the BNS sections 103(1) (murder) and 238 (destroying or concealment of evidence) at Niwari police station on July 6.