Father Among 6 Arrested For Murder Of Son, Live-In Partner In Jharkhand: Cops

Six persons, including the father of one of the victims, were arrested for allegedly killing a couple in Jharkhand's Hazaribag district, a senior police officer said on Sunday.

Ishwar Mehta (59) and his younger son Bablu were among those arrested for the brutal murder of Ishwar's elder son Rahul Kumar (30) and his wife Puja Yadav (28) on the night of June 15-16, SP Arvind Kumar Singh said.

According to police, Rahul had gone to Delhi a few years ago to prepare for civil services exam, where he met and fell in love with Puja from Azamgarh, Uttar Pradesh, who was also preparing for UPSC exam. The couple lived together in Delhi before returning to Rahul's native village, Korha, in Hazaribag about five years ago, where they ran a successful coaching centre, police said.

Ishwar, a money lender in Ichak, was furious upon seeing Rahul return with Puja, who belonged to a different caste. He demanded that Rahul kill Puja, threatening to kill them both if he refused. Six months ago, Ishwar conspired with contract killers, agreeing to pay Rs 6 lakh for the double murder, police added.

On the night of the crime, Ishwar, Bablu, and four accomplices went to the couple's home. Ishwar fatally stabbed Puja with a sword while Bablu and the contract killers attacked Rahul, who succumbed to multiple stab wounds. The killers then wrapped the bodies in large towels, loaded them into their car, and transported them to Parashi burning ghat in Ichak, where Ishwar set them on funeral pyres, police said.

The next morning, students found the couple missing and staged protests. The local community, outraged by the crime, boycotted Ishwar and his family.

During police interrogation, Ishwar revealed that he was angry with Rahul for returning without completing his UPSC exams and for planning to marry Puja.

Police have recovered bones, steel bangles, blood-stained towels, the murder weapons, and the Bolero car used in the crime. The bones were sent for DNA testing to confirm the victims' identities.

Among the arrested, Bobby Kumar had a criminal record, and Vicky Kumar was Ishwar's driver. The contract killers had received Rs 2 lakh in advance. A case was registered under relevant sections of the IPC based on a statement from Puja's father, Ramsurat Yadav, police said.

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