Unidentified assailants shot 69-year-old businessman Devi Shanker Aggarwal in his car along with the driver, Sunil Kumar Tank (32), in Kadrabad area of Ghaziabad early Wednesday morning.
They were shot thrice in the head by the assailants who used .9mm and .32 caliber weapons guns to commit the murders before using Aggarwal's car, a Skoda, to escape.
The mobile phones of the victims were also stolen.
Aggarwal had left his office in Bulandshahr Road Industrial area around 7.15 p.m. on Tuesday with his driver, Tank. "He called up saying he would return after an hour but did not," said Vijay, Aggarwal's son.
"His mobile phone was switched off. When we failed in our attempts to trace him, we informed the police by midnight." Vinod Kumar said Tank, his brother, had been working with Aggarwal for a month and did not have enemies.
"His last mobile phone location was traced to Govindpuram area yesterday (Tuesday) and thereafter the mobile remained switched off," said an investigating officer.
"The men were taken to Kadrabad and shot around 1.30 a.m. The villagers nearby confirmed they heard some shots being fired."
A family friend of the victim said Aggarwal had returned from Hapur on Tuesday evening after a payment collection and was to return home after closing his office.
{{/usCountry}}A family friend of the victim said Aggarwal had returned from Hapur on Tuesday evening after a payment collection and was to return home after closing his office.
{{/usCountry}}"He had around Rs 10,000 on him when they went missing," said Rahul Luthra, Aggarwal's family friend. Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Akhil Kumar said the murders were done with a purpose since the assailants had ensured the victims died by shooting them in the head.
"They were brought here to be killed. We are checking the background of the victims to clear facts and establish the reason behind the killings.
Our investigations are on," Kumar said.