Ghaziabad: Two arrested for murdering neighbour in Loni’s Tronica City

The Ghaziabad police on Friday arrested a 40-year-old woman and her 45-year-old family friend on charges of murdering her neighbour in Badarpur village in Loni’s Tronica City, police said on Friday, adding that the neighbour’s minor son had gone missing on September 13 after the woman and her family accused him of stealing their mobile phones. Police said after the boy disappeared, the distraught neighbour threatened to jail the woman, which allegedly made her hatch the plan to kill him and carry it out with the help of the family friend.

The police identified the two arrested suspects as Shehnaz and her family friend Gulfam while Shehnaz’s son, Javed, and her son-in-law, Suhail, are on the run.

The police said the body of victim Mohammad Rashid, 45, was discovered in an isolated field near Badapur on the morning of September 17.

“Two mobile phones (of Javed and Sohail) went missing from Shehnaz’s house on September 12. Shehnaz accused Rashid’s 15-year-old son and another boy from the locality of theft. On September 13, a panchayat was held in the village during which Rashid scolded his minor son. Later, the boy fled his house. No police complaint was filed over the missing mobiles,” said Suryabali Maurya, assistant commissioner of police, Loni.

Police said the boy’s family launched a search for him but he could not be found. Rashid on September 16 had a heated exchange with Shehnaz’s family over this and threatened to get them jailed if his son is not found.

Upon this, Shehnaz called up her family friend Gulfamwho arrived in Loni from Muzaffarnagar the same day.

The police said Shehnaz’s husband Mehtabwas in jail for about 11 years in connection with the Muzaffarnagar riots in 2013. There, he met Gulfam who was also in jail in connection with a case of theft.

“After Gulfam arrived in Loni on September 16, Shehnaz, along with her son and son-in-law, planned to get rid of Rashid. On the night of September 16, the three men allegedly overpowered Rashid behind their house and beat him to death. They dumped his body on the outskirts of the village. Shehnaz helped Gulfam dispose of his bloodstained clothes,” Maurya said.

The locals on September 17 discovered Rashid’s body and informed police. An FIR of murder was lodged, naming Shehnaz and her family as suspects.

The police said they traced Gulfam and also questioned Shehnaz who revealed the entire plot. The ACP said they both were arrested and a search is on to trace the other two suspects.

“Rashid’s minor son was finally traced to a secluded location on the outskirts of the city and he was returned to his family on September 17. The two lost mobiles are yet to be traced. The woman was not physically present during the murder but she was charged for destroying evidence and was also for hatching the conspiracy,” Maurya said.