Two brothers have been arrested in Delhi for the murder of a property dealer and journalist in Hathras, Uttar Pradesh, allegedly stemming from a property dispute.
Two brothers carrying a total reward of Rs 50,000 on information leading to their arrest have been held from northwest Delhi in connection with the killing of a property dealer-cum-journalist in Uttar Pradesh's Hathras, an official said on Monday.
Accused Kamal Sharma (38) and Gaurav Sharma (36) were apprehended from a spot near the Prembari drain in the Wazirpur Industrial Area following a tip-off about armed suspects moving in the locality.
Police said the duo were wanted in connection with the killing of Ved Prakash Sharma alias Sonu, a 35-year-old property dealer who was also associated with a local news platform in Hathras.
"He had gone missing on April 6 and his body was found the next day from a drain near the Sadabad-Jalesar road," a police officer said.
During investigation, it emerged that the killing was linked to a property dispute. The accused were allegedly pressuring the victim to sell his property, but he had refused, following which they hatched a plan to eliminate him.
A case was registered at the Sahpau police station in Hathras on April 7 and the accused were absconding since then.
"After the incident, the Uttar Pradesh Police had announced a reward of Rs 25,000 each on their arrest. Acting on specific intelligence received on April 17, a police team laid a trap and nabbed the two suspects," the officer said.
During their search, officers seized a semi-automatic pistol with two live cartridges from Kamal Sharma and a country-made pistol along with a live cartridge from Gaurav Sharma.
A separate case was registered against both. During interrogation, the accused confessed to their involvement in the killing in Hathras and said they were on the run to evade arrest, police said.
Further probe revealed that the duo are habitual offenders and have been previously involved in multiple criminal cases. Efforts are on to coordinate with the Uttar Pradesh Police for further legal proceedings in the murder case.