NH 2 murder: cops search for contract killer

Police have launched a search for the killers of Satvinder, who was murdered allegedly at the behest of her live-in partner Mukesh Lakhanpal in late September. Prabhu Razdan reports.

Police have launched a search for the killers of Satvinder, who was murdered allegedly at the behest of her live-in partner Mukesh Lakhanpal in late September.

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Mukesh, who had hired alleged contract killer Yogesh and two others to bump off the 38-year-old woman, has been arrested and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

"We have launched a manhunt for Yogesh in Delhi and elsewhere," a police officer said. "The search for two others who are also thought to be involved has been intensified," the officer said, adding that a team of policemen are in Delhi looking for Yogesh, an engineer.

"Policemen had gone to Yogesh's home in Malviya Nagar but he was not there," the officer said.

The investigators said Mukesh masterminded the murder of his live-in partner after she threatened to expose their relationship if he did not continue staying with her.

"Satvinder had asked him not to visit his children and wife, and live with her," the officer said. "This was why Mukesh got her killed."

The police have found a knife and rope as murder evidence. They are also trying to collect details of bank accounts used to transfer money to the killers.

That Mukesh, a circulation manager with a business magazine, went to office as usual the day after the murder had aroused the police's suspicion. His inconsistent statements nailed his lie and the police arrested him late on Wednesday.

Public camera footage proved Mukesh's statements wrong. "He said a car was following their car. However, the footage showed no such car," an official said.

Satvinder was found murdered in the fields along National Highway 2 on September 28.