Police in Uttar Pradesh's Bijnor district have cracked a murder case with the arrest of four individuals, including a father and his two sons, for the alleged killing of a 25-year-old man over his relationship with a female cousin.
The Grisly Discovery and Initial Deception
The case came to light on December 21, when the body of Mohammad Sameer, a resident of Ahmed Khel mohalla in Kiratpur town, was found lying beside a highway in the Jalalabad area, under the limits of Najibabad police station. Initially, it was presented as a tragic road accident, with information suggesting Sameer's motorcycle had been hit by an unknown vehicle.
However, Bijnor SP Abhishek Jha stated that injury marks on the victim's neck raised immediate suspicion among investigating officers. Their doubts were confirmed by the post-mortem report. "The post-mortem report confirmed that the cause of death was strangulation," SP Jha revealed, turning the investigation from a fatal accident into a homicide case.
A Premeditated Plot Over a Relationship
Based on a formal complaint filed by Sameer's father, Dilshad, the police registered a case under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The initial accused named were Rafiq and his sons, Rahat and Rafat, all neighbours from Ahmed Khel mohalla. As the probe deepened, the involvement of a fourth person, Arshad, from Mugalu Shah area of Najibabad, also surfaced.
Police formed special teams to track down the suspects, leading to the arrest of all four. From their possession, authorities seized a car allegedly used in the crime and Sameer's broken mobile phone.
During interrogation, the accused disclosed a motive rooted in familial honour. They claimed that Sameer was involved in a relationship with Rahat's sister, which had been a persistent source of conflict. The matter had even escalated legally earlier, with Sameer being sent to jail before securing bail. The accused alleged that after his release, he resumed the relationship, which they found unacceptable.
An Elaborate Plan Involving Black Magic and Social Media
The investigation uncovered a chilling and premeditated plot that began months before the murder. Police officials said the accused revealed that around seven to eight months ago, they contacted a man in Delhi who practised exorcism, paying him in a desperate attempt to 'eliminate' Sameer through supernatural means.
When that failed, they hatched a more direct plan. The accused created a fake female profile on social media to gain Sameer's trust. Using this deceptive identity, they lured him to Najibabad on the night of December 20.
"As per the plan, Sameer was strangled to death with a muffler, and his body, along with the motorcycle, was dumped by the roadside to make it appear like a road accident," explained SP Abhishek Jha, detailing the cold-blooded execution. The staged scene was meant to mislead law enforcement and avoid detection.
The arrests have brought a measure of closure to the victim's family, while highlighting the extreme lengths to which the accused went to settle a personal dispute. The case remains under investigation as police examine all seized evidence.
