HYDERABAD: A day after 22-year-old Neeraj Panwar was brutally murdered in full public view in Begum Bazar, Shahinayathgunj police on Saturday arrested four persons, including a juvenile, while they were travelling in a bus near Gurumitkal in Karnataka. Two of the four accused are reportedly cousins of the victim's wife, Sanjana. The couple had an inter-caste marriage against the wishes of the girl's family.
Deputy commissioner of police (West Zone) D Joel Davis said of the six accused involved in the murder, four persons — K Vijay Yadav, K Sanjay Yadav, B Rohith Yadav and a juvenile in conflict with law —were arrested near Gurumitkal in Karnataka.Protests erupted at the busy Begum Bazar and Shahinayathgunj police station all through Saturday. Two more accused — Abhinanadan Yadav and Mahesh Yadav — are still at large. Neeraj and Sanjana had married one-and-half-years ago against the wishes of her parents. Fearing that her family might target them, the couple was staying at Shamsheergunj in Falaknuma. "In the last few months, Sanjana's cousins saw Neeraj near their residence. They provoked them. After consuming alcohol 15 days ago, they decided to kill Neeraj. In the last three days, they tailed him and finally attacked Neeraj,'' Joel said. As part of their plan, the assailants had procured sickles from Jumerat Bazar.
Around 8pm on Friday night, when Neeraj and his grandfather Jagadish Panwar were travelling on a bike from their house at Kholsawadi to their shop, en route five persons followed them on two two-wheelers.
At Feelkhana, when Neeraj applied brakes as there was a traffic jam, the assailants came from the rear and attacked him with a knife on his neck. Both Neeraj and his grandfather fell off the bike. As per the family members of the victim, the accused threw chilli powder in the eyes of Neeraj. When the victim was being attacked, his grandfather tried to resist the assailants, but he also suffered a cut on his hand. The victim tried to escape from the place, but he was chased and attacked with knives and stones, police said.
Based on CCTV footage and information given by Sanjana, police tracked the suspects to Gurumitkal in Karnataka on Saturday morning. The accused fled away on bikes till Pargi in Vikarabad district, where they abandoned the vehicles. From there, they boarded a bus, which was intercepted by police near Gurumitkal and taken into custody.
Though the victim's family members suspect the role of Sanjana's brother, police said that investigation was on to unravel the larger conspiracy.
