Police have arrested two grandsons of an 82-year-old farmer who was allegedly shot and stabbed to death in Meerut s Karnawal village over a long-running family property dispute.
Police have arrested two grandsons of an 82-year-old farmer who was allegedly shot and stabbed to death in Meerut’s Karnawal village over a long-running family property dispute. The accused were arrested on Saturday after remaining absconding for nearly two days following the murder, officials said.
According to police, the murder took place on the night of June 26 when the accused allegedly opened fire on their grandfather, Vijaypal, 82, before repeatedly stabbing him to death. They then fled the scene on a motorcycle.
The accused were identified as Sagar, 20, son of Rajeev alias Raju, and Nikky, 35, son of Shailendra. They were arrested from Bhooni Rajwaha on Binoli Road in the Sardhana area. Police recovered a .315-bore country-made pistol, a knife and the motorcycle allegedly used in the crime. A case was registered against both accused and they have been remanded to judicial custody, officials said.
The incident occurred at around 8 pm on June 25 when Vijaypal had stepped out of his house to join fellow villagers at a local chaupal. While he was seated with them, two masked assailants arrived and allegedly opened fire. One of the bullets struck Vijaypal in the chest. Police said the attackers then stabbed him multiple times to ensure his death before fleeing on the motorcycle.
The gunshots triggered panic in the village. Residents and family members rushed to the spot and alerted the police. Superintendent of police (rural) Abhijeet Singh, along with police and forensic teams, reached the scene. The body was sent for the post-mortem examination and an investigation was launched.
As part of the probe, police examined CCTV footage from the area, which allegedly captured the movement of the suspects. Three police teams were formed to trace them, leading to their arrest on Saturday.
According to the SP, the murder stemmed from a long-standing dispute over family property.
Vijaypal lived with his elderly wife in Karnawal village. He had three sons—Shailendra, Tejendra and Rajeev. Shailendra is the father of accused Nikky, while Rajeev is the father of accused Sagar. Tejendra died several years ago and is survived by his wife and two sons, Rahul and Bhanu.
According to family members, the dispute over Vijaypal’s land had been ongoing among his two surviving sons and five grandsons. They accused Nikky and Sagar of killing their grandfather over the property dispute and lodged a complaint naming both shortly after the incident.
The SP said the accused had been on the run since the murder before being tracked down and arrested. Further investigation is underway.