Four held in UP for murder of kin over suspected relationship

Bijnor (UP), Dec 25 (PTI) Four people, including a father and his two sons, have been arrested for allegedly hiring contract killers to kill their 25-year-old relative over a suspected relationship with a cousin, police said on Thursday.

Additional Superintendent of Police Dr Krishna Gopal Singh said the body of Sameer (25), a resident of Ahmad Khel Kiratpur locality, was found near a highway in Jalalabad area under Najibabad police station limits on December 21.

A post-mortem report noted that he had been strangled to death.

Sameer's father, Dilshad, lodged an FIR on December 23 against his brother Rafiq and his sons, Rahat and Rafat, for conspiring to kill his son.

During the investigation and analysis of electronic evidence, police found the involvement of another accused, Arshad. All four were arrested for questioning.

According to police, Sameer was in a relationship with his cousin despite repeated warnings from the girl's family to end it.

Sameer was also said to be addicted to drugs.

A few months ago, the girl's family had allegedly contacted a Delhi-based occult practitioner, identified as Jainul, to eliminate Sameer.

Jainul demanded Rs 20 lakh for the task, of which Rs 3 lakh cash and Rs 2 lakh online payment were made in advance, officials said.

Police said that Jainul created a fake Instagram profile posing as a woman to lure Sameer.

On the night of December 20, he, along with Arshad and two others -- Arif and Saleem, called Sameer to Najibabad. When Sameer arrived on his motorcycle, the accused strangled him to death with a muffler and dumped the body by the roadside to make it appear like an accident.

Police said efforts are on to trace the absconding accused Jainul, Arif and Saleem. PTI COR ABN HIG HIG