Lucknow, Dec 31 Five people, including a teacher of Barabanki polytechnic college, have been arrested for their alleged role in the murder and kidnapping of a medical institute employee, who was missing since the past 12 days.
The victim Sri Ram Yadav, 40, a class four employee at Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences here, was staying on the campus along with his wife Sangeeta Yadav, 35. He went missing on December 18.
Investigation revealed that his wife and her paramour, Avshisht Kumar, 40, a teacher in polytechnic college in Jahangirabad (Barabanki) allegedly murdered Yadav after kidnapping him with the help of three associates.
Chandra Shekhar Singh, inspector, Vibhuti Khand police station in Lucknow, said that those arrested include Avshisht Kumar, one Sushil Kumar and his girlfriend Kunti, Santosh Kumar and the victim's wife Sangeeta Yadav.
They have been booked under sections 364 (for kidnapping), 302 (for murder) and 201 (for concealment of evidence) of the IPC and on charges of possessing illegal firearms, said police.
The inspector said Avshisht approached Sri Ram as a prospective buyer of his car that he wanted to sell out and took him along for a test ride.
With the help of his accomplice Sushil Kumar and his girlfriend Kunti, Avshisht allegedly shot Sri Ram dead after taking him to a deserted stretch near the Kursi road and later disposed of his body into Indira Canal with help of another accomplice Santosh Kumar, who along with Sushil Kumar, runs a fishery business near the polytechnic college, said Singh.
He said the victim's wife, who was part of the entire conspiracy, had an extra-marital affair with Avshisht and eloped with him nearly five months ago after Sri Ram came to know about their relationship.
The woman had returned to her husband's house under family pressure, but was still in touch with Avshisht and the two conspired to eliminate Sri Ram who was pressurising her to end the relationship.
The victim's car was found abandoned near Kurauli on link road alongside Faizabad highway on December 22, after his wife lodged an FIR at the Vibhuti Khand police station on December 19 regarding his disappearance.
The arrested accused confessed that they had purchased three illegal firearms from a Barabanki-based arms dealer, B.P. Singh, for Rs 50,000 a few days before committing the crime.
The weapon used in the crime had been recovered from their hideout in Chinhat and efforts were on to trace the firearms dealer, said the inspector.
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