Man beats sex worker to death and dumps body in drain, held

Ghaziabad: A 42-year-old man was arrested for allegedly murdering a woman and then dumping her body in a roadside drain near NH-9 in Crossings Republik.After the severely decomposed body, wrapped in a bedsheet, was recovered on Monday afternoon, police scanned several CCTV camera feeds from nearby areas and zeroed in on a man on a blue scooter, who was allegedly seen crossing the spot. The rider had halted briefly near the spot and thrown something in the drain.ACP Wave City Priyashri Pal said cops traced the rider using the vehicle's registration number and arrested Nazar Mohammad of Sain Vihar. Police believe Nazar killed the woman, a sex worker, for her jewellery. During interrogation, Nazar claimed he had known the woman for several years, but had lost contact about four years ago. They recently reconnected, and on July 26, he invited the woman to his residence in Crossings Republik.When the woman walked in wearing jewellery worth an estimated Rs 5 lakh, Nazar planned to kill her. According to cops, the two consumed alcohol, after which the woman went to sleep. "Nazar then allegedly struck her on the head four times with bricks, killing her. He wrapped her body in a bedsheet and transported it on his scooter, eventually dumping it in a roadside drain near Neelam Dharam Kanta along NH-9."Knowing she lived alone and had no family around, he believed no one would report her missing, the ACP said. Nazar later sold a thick gold chain for Rs 93,000, used part of the money to make another chain, and kept a silver anklet and Rs 39,500, all of which were recovered during the arrest. He has been booked under BNS Section 103 (punishment for murder) at Crossings Republik police station.