UP: Three held for man's murder; feud linked to drug dealings

Kannauj (UP), Oct 7 (PTI) Three people have been arrested for allegedly plotting a 32-year-old man's murder for a contract of Rs 2 lakh in Uttar Pradesh's Kannauj, police said on Tuesday.

The plot, police revealed, stemmed from a personal feud linked to drug trafficking.

Officials said the prime accused, Manish Gupta and victim Sumit Rathore had earlier worked together in drug trafficking.

Rathore had allegedly tipped off the police about Gupta, leading to his arrest earlier, they said.

Seeking revenge for betrayal, Gupta hatched a plan to eliminate Rathore, a senior official said.

Superintendent of Police Vinod Kumar said the joint Talgram police, SOG, and surveillance team arrested Gupta, along with accomplices Muheen and Yakoob -- the two who were given the contract for the murder -- from the Expressway culvert near Goa village, Bahad area, Talgram police station limits, at the 181 km mark on Tuesday.

A minor, who was present in the car with them and allegedly helped the accused, has been taken into custody, the officer added.

The body of Rathore, who was strangled to death, was found dumped near the service road at the 179 km mark of the Lucknow Expressway on October 5, police said.

A case under relevant sections of the BNS has been registered and legal proceedings against the accused are underway, they added. PTI COR KIS NB NB