Lucknow: Rae Bareli police on Thursday announced they have solved the murder of a 45-year-old watchman within 72 hours, arresting his cousin who allegedly killed him over an extramarital relationship with the victim's wife.
Details of the Crime
The accused, identified as Raj Kishore, allegedly attacked Binda Prasad, a watchman employed at a Jal Jeevan Mission water tank project, while he was asleep at a construction site in Thakurain Khera village. According to investigators, the accused repeatedly struck the victim with a sharp-edged weapon, slit his throat, mutilated his face, and severed parts of his nose and ears before fleeing the scene.
Discovery of the Body
The murder came to light on the morning of June 16 when villagers heading towards nearby fields discovered Binda Prasad's body lying on a cot. The body was sent for postmortem, and an investigation was launched to identify the killer.
Investigation and Arrest
During the investigation, call detail records of the victim and his family, along with other details, led investigators to Raj Kishore. Police detained the suspect for questioning, during which he allegedly confessed to the crime.
Motive Behind the Murder
According to police, Raj Kishore admitted that he had been involved in an illicit relationship with Binda Prasad's wife for nearly three years. The woman is the mother of two children. Investigators said the victim had earlier learned about the relationship and reprimanded both parties.
Raj Kishore allegedly told police that he wanted to live with his cousin's wife, but she was unwilling to leave her family. He claimed that he viewed Binda Prasad as the biggest obstacle to his plans.
Details of the Attack
Police said that on June 15, after dinner, Prasad went to sleep at the water tank site. Kishore reached there armed with a banka (a sharp-edged agricultural weapon) and carried out the attack. Based on Raj Kishore's disclosure, police recovered the weapon used in the murder and registered a case.
Legal Proceedings
He was produced before a local court, which remanded him to judicial custody. Circle officer, Maharajganj, Pradeep Kumar said preliminary investigations indicate that the alleged extramarital relationship was the primary motive behind the murder.
