UP man crushes mother's lover to death with brick, attends wedding after killing to dodge suspicion; arrested

LUCKNOW: The Lucknow Police on Sunday claimed to have cracked the brutal murder of a 28-year-old contractual sanitation worker employed at SGPGI within 24 hours, arresting a young man and detaining his minor relative for allegedly killing him over his relationship with the accused's mother.

Police said the accused not only meticulously planned the murder but also attempted to mislead investigators by washing bloodstained clothes near the crime scene, attending a wedding immediately after the killing, and later mingling with locals near the spot where the body was discovered.

The victim, Suraj Gautam, a resident of Ashraf Nagar under the Bijnor police station area, was found dead near a lake on Friday morning with multiple grievous injuries to his head and face.

After analysing footage from nearly 50 CCTV cameras, along with electronic surveillance and local intelligence inputs, police arrested 22-year-old Anil Kumar Yadav and detained his 17-year-old relative.

According to police, the investigation revealed that Suraj had allegedly been in a relationship with Anil's mother for nearly three years, a matter that caused tension within the family. Anil later confronted Suraj and warned him against visiting his house, but the victim allegedly continued meeting his mother, following which the accused decided to eliminate him.

“During interrogation, the accused stated that around two months ago, he saw Suraj with his mother in a compromising position. He claimed he initially remained silent due to social stigma and fear of public embarrassment,” said ADCP (South Zone) Vasant Kumar.

Police recovered the murder weapon, the brick used in the assault, and the victim's mobile phone at the accused's instance.

A case has been registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Arms Act at Bijnor police station. Further legal proceedings are underway.