Police in Aligarh are investigating the murder of a local petrol pump owner, Narottam Singh, whose body was discovered in an under-construction house, prompting a search for the main suspect and raising concerns in the community.
The body of a local businessman was recovered from an under-construction house in a village on the outskirts of Aligarh on Tuesday evening, police said.
The deceased was identified as Narottam Singh, who owned a petrol pump in the Doharra locality, a short distance from the site where his body was found in Chilkorra village under the Kwarsi police station area.
According to family members, Singh was last seen in the forenoon when he left home on a two-wheeler with a close acquaintance and neighbour, identified as Kanhaiya. When he did not return by the afternoon, his family tried to contact him, but his phone was found switched off. They began searching for him, and his body was later found in the evening inside an under-construction house allegedly belonging to Kanhaiya.
As news of the incident spread, a large crowd gathered at the spot. Senior police officials, along with forensic teams, reached the scene and began an investigation.
Senior Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar said the motive behind the killing is yet to be ascertained. He said two brothers of the suspect Kanhaiya have been arrested for questioning.
A knife, believed to have been used to slit the victim's throat, was recovered near the body, police said, adding that a search operation has been launched across the district to nab the main accused.
Police said Singh's son is a senior leader of the district unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha.