Three men were arrested on Wednesday for allegedly murdering a 45-year-old hardware trader at an isolated location in the jungles of Tronica City in Uttar Pradesh’s Loni late on Sunday night, police said.
The police identified the prime suspect as a 27-year-old man who was a tenant of the deceased and operated a car accessories shop on the premises. The two other suspects were identified as the prime suspect’s 24-year-old brother and 28-year-old cousin.
The body of 45-year-old Vinod Gupta was recovered on Monday morning. Gupta had left his house around 8pm on Sunday and did not return. His family lodged an FIR for murder at the Tronica City police station on Monday, naming the three suspects, who were on the run after the murder.
“During interrogation, the suspects told police that the tenant lost about ₹55 lakh in share market and also lost about ₹2 lakh in betting at a casino. About two years ago, he purchased a plot from the deceased for ₹20 lakh and paid only ₹3 lakhs then. So, he was under heavy financial burden and the deceased was pressurising him to pay up the balance money on account of the plot purchased. To get rid of him, the prime suspect called him to Mandola in Tronica City and pretext that someone is coming there with the money to be returned to the deceased,” deputy commissioner of police (rural) Surendra Nath Tiwari told HT.
The DCP said that the prime suspect also wanted to pressure Gupta into giving him a loan.
When Gupta reached the spot, the prime suspect and his two accomplices were also present. “There was some heated exchange of words about the money, and there was a fight. During this, Gupta was stabbed with a knife which the prime suspect had brought along. During the scuffle, the prime suspect sustained a deep cut on his lips. The two suspects also stabbed Gupta. Thereafter, all three fled leaving him behind,” the DCP added.
Police officers said that Gupta’s autopsy revealed 11 injuries on his body, including seven stab wounds.
The FIR seen by HT said that Gupta’s family noticed a deep, fresh cut on the prime suspect’s lips on the night of the incident, and he did not respond when Gupta’s son asked him about the injury. The police said that the prime suspect sustained the injury during the fight with the deceased.
The officers said that the police arrested the prime suspect during a crackdown late on Tuesday night in Tronica City. The DCP said that he was on a bike and opened fire at the police when asked to stop. “He sustained a bullet injury to his leg when police opened retaliatory fire. His accomplices were also arrested by the police from A-7 tri-crossing in Tronica City on Wednesday,” the DCP added.