She trusted, he betrayed

Trust in her elder brother was what killed 20-year-old Shoba Nagar. Vijaita Singh digs deep into the murder story.

Trust in her elder brother was what killed 20-year-old Shoba Nagar.

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On Sunday, Shobha was allegedly lured by her elder brother Mandeep Nagar (23) to help trace their youngest sister who had reportedly eloped a month ago and married a small-time model coordinator. On Tuesday morning, Shobha was found dead in a Hyundai Santro.

She had been shot at point blank range in her forehead.

The trio accused of murdering her — Mandeep and his two close friends Ankit Khari and Nikku — are also accused in Sunday’s murders of Kuldeep Singh and his wife Monica.

Kuldeep and Monica had eloped and married outside their caste four years ago.

On May 25, Shobha and her younger sister Khushboo had eloped from their home in Wazirpur village.

Police claim that both had planned to get married but Shobha’s friend, one Raja, did not turn up. “Khushboo married Ravi, a model coordinator, at an Arya Samaj Mandir. Shobha, meanwhile, returned home. The fact that Shobha had helped in her sister’s marriage had infuriated Mandeep,” said a senior police officer.

Khushboo had met Ravi through an advertisement he had placed in a local newspaper for “aspiring models.” The couple decided to get married but Khushboo was afraid as no one in their family had ever defied tradition. Police have now promised protection to the couple.

“We have spoken to the couple and they said they were fine. We have also asked the neighbouring state police to provide them shelter if they come to them,” said Karnal Singh, joint commissioner of police (northern range). Mandeep has an elder brother and two elder sisters who are married.

Police said the three accused (there could be more) had planned the murders.

On Sunday, the trio first shot Kuldeep at point-blank range in his Maruti Esteem car.

Then they shot Monica at her rented home in Wazirpur village, a few metres away on the pretext of delivering food on the occasion of her parent’s marriage anniversary.

“After killing the couple, Mandeep went home, asked Shobha to join him in tracing Khushboo. He subsequently shot her in the forehead at point blank range. He then then parked the borrowed Santro car in which they had committed the murder at H block in Ashok Vihar and fled from the scene,” said the officer. Police have launched a manhunt for the accused and have so far detained more than 20 people.