Muzaffarnagar: Police have claimed to solve the murder of an e-rickshaw driver within 48 hours after three men allegedly killed him to steal his vehicle. The victim, Mohammad Shamim, was found dead in a sugarcane field in the Jatmujheda forest area. Two accused sustained bullet injuries during a police encounter near the Sandhawali underpass late Tuesday night, while their third accomplice was arrested. Police also recovered the stolen e-rickshaw, mobile phones, country-made pistols and a knife.
How Did the Accused Plan and Execute the Murder?
According to SP City Amrit Jain, information was received on November 8 about a man’s body lying in a sugarcane field along the Bakarnagar road in the Jatmujheda forest area under New Mandi police station limits. Police officials and forensic experts reached the spot, inspected the crime scene and collected evidence.
The deceased was identified as Mohammad Shamim, son of Babu, a resident of Hajipura Sarwat in the Civil Lines police station area. Following a complaint from his family, a case was registered under relevant sections related to murder and robbery at Civil Lines police station. Multiple police teams were deployed to investigate the incident.
Over 200 CCTV Cameras Examined to Crack the Case
SP City Amrit Jain said investigators examined footage from more than 200 CCTV cameras to identify the suspects. Police also used surveillance, technical investigation and manual intelligence inputs to trace those involved in the crime.
On Tuesday night, a joint team of Civil Lines police and the Special Operations Group (SOG) was checking suspicious individuals and vehicles near the Sandhawali underpass. During the operation, officers spotted three suspicious men travelling on an e-rickshaw towards the Meerut-Roorkee Road and signalled them to stop.
According to police, the suspects attempted to escape after noticing the team. When officers pursued them, the accused allegedly opened fire with the intention of killing the police personnel. Police retaliated in self-defence, injuring two suspects, identified as Vikas and Anil. Their third accomplice, Akash Saini, was arrested after police cordoned off the area.
The injured suspects were taken to hospital for treatment.
Weapons and Stolen E-Rickshaw Recovered
Police identified the arrested accused as Vikas, son of Sunil; Anil, son of Sompal; and Akash Saini, son of Vinod Saini. All three are residents of Rasoolpur village under the jurisdiction of Bhopa police station.
The police recovered two country-made .315-bore pistols, two live cartridges, two empty cartridges, Shamim’s stolen e-rickshaw, his mobile phone, another mobile phone and a knife allegedly used in the crime.
Accused Used E-Rickshaws to Target Drivers
During interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed their method of targeting e-rickshaw drivers. They would book vehicles under the pretext of travelling to another location and then take drivers towards isolated forest areas or deserted roads.
Once there, they would rob the drivers and steal their vehicles. According to police, the stolen e-rickshaws were dismantled, and their batteries and other components were sold separately.
How Was Mohammad Shamim Killed?
According to the police investigation, the accused booked Shamim’s e-rickshaw from Vishwakarma Chowk on November 6, claiming they wanted to travel to Bakarnagar.
They allegedly took him towards the isolated forest route connecting Jatmujheda and Bakarnagar. There, they tied his hands and legs and stuffed a piece of cloth into his mouth, causing his death. They subsequently dumped his body in a sugarcane field and fled with his e-rickshaw and mobile phone.
Police said the accused were travelling to sell the stolen e-rickshaw when they were intercepted near the Sandhawali underpass on Tuesday night. Their arrest and the recovery of the stolen property helped investigators establish the alleged sequence of events.
Reported By: Rohit
