A bitter family dispute over property in Ghaziabad culminated in the brutal murder of a retired Indian Air Force officer, allegedly orchestrated by his own sons who hired a police constable and a man with a notorious criminal past to carry out the killing.
The Fatal Dispute and a Chilling Plot
The flashpoint was the decision of former Assistant Warrant Officer Yogesh Kumar, who retired on July 31 last year, to sell his house in Ashok Vihar, Loni. He had asked both his sons, Nitesh and Guddu, to vacate the premises, setting the stage for a tragic confrontation. According to Loni ACP Siddharth Gautam, the sons were driven by a desire to access their father's "hefty savings" and feared losing control over the property.
Police investigations reveal that the sons meticulously planned the murder, recruiting two hitmen: Naveen Kumar, a constable from Kaushambi who was on leave since August 2025, and a 32-year-old man from Bulandshahr, who was also their father's neighbour. The sons allegedly provided Rs 5 lakh to the duo to execute the crime.
A Notorious Past and a Personal Grudge
The Bulandshahr-based accused, now arrested, has a deeply disturbing criminal history. As a juvenile, he was convicted for his role in the infamous 2008 Barari massacre, where seven members of his uncle's family, including a pregnant aunt and a two-year-old cousin, were killed. He was sent to a correctional home, while his father received a death sentence in 2016. Police stated that this accused also held a personal grudge against Yogesh Kumar over disputes regarding feeding stray dogs in the locality, making him an easy recruit for the sons' plan.
The Execution and Investigation
The murder was carried out on the day after Christmas, just 50 meters from Kumar's house. ACP Gautam detailed the attack: "Nitesh and Guddu planned the murder with the accused on the terrace of Kumar’s house. On the day of the murder, the accused hit Kumar with an iron rod. When Kumar fell to the ground, Naveen shot him in the head first. The accused fired a second bullet."
CCTV footage captured the two assailants riding a Hero Xtreme bike with their faces masked and the number plate removed. Police traced the bike's owner, who claimed it was borrowed "to go shopping." The Bulandshahr man was arrested from his residence, where he lives with his wife and two children. However, constable Naveen Kumar and the two sons, Nitesh and Guddu, are currently absconding.
An FIR has been registered at the Loni police station under murder charges and sections of the Arms Act. The investigation is ongoing to apprehend the remaining accused and to probe whether the attack was purely premeditated for gain or influenced by other longstanding disputes.
