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Death in a liquor tetra pack: Cyanide plot by woman to kill her brother results in 3 deaths
Meerut police uncovered a premeditated murder plot involving Alka, her lover Pawan, and goldsmith Ashok, who poisoned her brother with cyanide-laced liquor.
What was initially suspected to be deaths linked to hooch in Meerut’s Daurala emerged as a chilling premeditated murder, with police saying a woman, her lover, who searched on Google about poisons and methods of administration, and a goldsmith conspired to kill her brother by lacing a tetra pack of country-made liquor with cyanide.
Police on Sunday arrested Alka, the woman, Pawan, the man she was in a relationship with, and goldsmith Ashok alias Soni, who allegedly provided the poison for ₹500, to allegedly kill Ankit alias Daulat. Ankit's associates, Baburam and Jitendra, consumed the same liquor and died.
The deaths triggered fears of a hooch tragedy. But suspicion deepened when police found that several other people had purchased liquor from the same government outlet, and none of them reported any illness. This prompted investigators to focus on one specific liquor pack.
Police examined Pawan’s mobile phone and reportedly found a month-long Google search trail related to cyanide, poisons, and methods of administration.
Investigators said the digital evidence was key in establishing premeditation and conspiracy. “The search history clearly showed sustained online research about cyanide, its procurement, and use. This became a crucial breakthrough in the case,” said a police officer associated with the probe.
Following sustained interrogation, police arrested the three accused and booked them for murder and criminal conspiracy.
Senior police superintendent Avinash Pandey said the conspiracy was aimed at killing Ankit, but the poisoned liquor also killed Baburam and Jitendra on Friday last. The three were suspected to have died of toxic or spurious alcohol, but the post-mortem examination confirmed deaths due to cyanide poisoning, prompting police to launch a homicide probe.
Investigators said Ankit’s opposition to Alka’s relationship with Pawan prompted the murder conspiracy. Police said Ankit would assault his sister after consuming alcohol. In an alleged drunken state, he also molested her, leaving Alka distressed. Alka reportedly confided in Pawan, and the two allegedly planned to kill Ankit.
Investigators said Pawan approached Ashok, who allegedly told him how cyanide, used in cleaning jewellery, could prove fatal. They added that Pawan paid Ashok ₹500 for a small packet of cyanide. Pawan allegedly first handed the poison to Alka and asked her to mix it into Ankit’s food. Investigators said Alka got cold feet and could not carry out the plan. Two days later, police said Pawan gave ₹100 to a local youth and asked him to purchase a tetra pack of country-made liquor. Pawan allegedly tore the packet, mixed the cyanide with the liquor, and then resealed it with adhesive tape to avoid suspicion.
Police said the tampered packet was given to Ankit, who consumed it along with Baburam and Jitendra. “All three consumed the liquor and collapsed soon after. They later died during treatment,” an investigator said.
