Police yet to recover body parts of murdered Phd scholar

Police officers said they will interrogate the suspect again after they obtain his custody from court

Two days after a man was arrested in Modinagar for murdering his tenant and chopping his body in three parts, the Ghaziabad police said they have not been able to recover the body parts during searches in several districts of Uttar Pradesh. Police officers said they will interrogate the suspect again after they obtain his custody from court.

Ankit Khokhar (40), a Phd scholar, was allegedly murdered at his Modinagar residence on October 6 by his landlord, Umesh Sharma. (HT Photo)

Ankit Khokhar (40), a Phd scholar, was allegedly murdered at his Modinagar residence on October 6 by his landlord, Umesh Sharma, who hatched a conspiracy with his cousin Pravesh Sharma, police officers said. Umesh wanted to acquire ₹1crore that Khokhar possessed after selling his parental property at Mukundpur in Baghpat district, police said. Umesh dismembered Kokhar’s body in three parts with an axe he purchased after strangling Khokhar, police said..

Earlier this week, several of Khokhar’s friends became concerned after he did not respond to their calls and registered a complaint with the police, after which Umesh was detained. He allegedly broke down and confessed to the murder during interrogation.

“Our teams carried out extensive search in Khatauli, at the canal at Muradnagar and also near isolated stretches of the Eastern Peripheral Expressway, as well as different nearby districts of Meerut and Bulandshahr. However, we have not been able to recover any body parts as yet. We are still in touch with police from other districts in case they discover any body parts,” said Iraj Raja, DCP (rural).

Police officers said the second suspect, Pravesh, got married on December 6 and spent large sums in buying new clothes for himself and his wife, and also planned to go on a vacation with the money he withdrew from Khokhar’s ATM cards.

According to police, Pravesh withdrew ₹40,000 thrice from different locations in Uttarakhand in December.

“The role of Pravesh is being investigated thoroughly and he knew about the murder. Prime suspect Umesh planned the murder at least two months ago. This was after Khokhar sold his parental property and obtained ₹ 1 crore. We are trying to find Khokhar’s body parts and we still have enough evidences against the suspects. Some forensic evidence has also been picked up from the house where Khokhar lived,” Raja said.

Umesh and Pravesh were sent to judicial custody by a Ghaziabad court on Thursday.