Ghaziabad Police Apprehend Two Suspects in Friend's Murder Case
In a shocking development from Ghaziabad, two individuals have been taken into custody by law enforcement authorities for their alleged involvement in the brutal murder of their friend. The incident, which has sent ripples through the local community, unfolded in the Tronica City area, where the accused were finally apprehended after an intensive investigation.
Complaint Leads to Investigation
The case came to light when a woman named Rubina lodged a formal complaint on January 22, expressing grave concerns about her husband's disappearance. According to her statement, her spouse, identified as Mehtab, had ventured out on January 18 to meet his acquaintances, Neeraj Pal and Harshit Patel, and had not returned home since that fateful evening. Rubina explicitly pointed fingers at her husband's friends, holding them responsible for his mysterious vanishing act.
Police Action and Discovery of Body
Acting swiftly on the complaint, the police initiated a comprehensive search operation to trace Mehtab's whereabouts. During the course of their investigation, authorities received distressing information that Mehtab's lifeless body had been discovered in Delhi. This grim finding prompted the police to intensify their efforts to locate Neeraj and Harshit, who were now prime suspects in the case.
An official First Information Report (FIR) was registered against the duo under specific sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The charges included Section 103(1), which pertains to murder, and Section 238(5), addressing the disappearance of evidence or providing false information to shield an offender. These legal provisions underscored the seriousness of the allegations leveled against the accused.
Arrest and Confession
Through a combination of technological surveillance and traditional investigative techniques, the police successfully tracked down and arrested both Neeraj and Harshit in the Tronica City locality on Friday. Harshit, who works as an auto-rickshaw driver, had utilized his electric vehicle in the abduction, a detail that proved crucial to the case. Law enforcement officials seized the auto-rickshaw as evidence, along with a muffler that was allegedly employed to strangle the victim.
During interrogation, the arrested individuals confessed to their involvement in Mehtab's killing. They recounted the events of January 18, revealing that around 8:30 PM, Neeraj had contacted Mehtab using Harshit's phone, inviting him to step outside his residence. The trio then boarded Harshit's auto-rickshaw, with Harshit at the wheel and Neeraj and Mehtab seated in the rear.
Sequence of Events Leading to Murder
The situation took a dark turn when Neeraj made unwelcome sexual advances towards Mehtab. When Mehtab resisted and declined to consent, a physical altercation erupted between the two. In the heat of the confrontation, Neeraj forcefully pushed Mehtab out of the moving vehicle. The impact caused Mehtab's head to strike the road surface, rendering him unconscious.
Believing that Mehtab had succumbed to his injuries, the perpetrators proceeded to use a muffler to strangle him, ensuring his death. They then transported the body to Delhi's Signature Bridge area, with the intention of disposing of it in the Yamuna River. However, when their attempts to dump the body into the river proved unsuccessful, they abandoned it on a roadside adjacent to the bridge before fleeing the scene.
Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Loni Siddharth Gautam provided these details, highlighting the meticulous police work that led to the arrests. The case continues to be under investigation as authorities gather further evidence and prepare for legal proceedings.
