3 held for killing youth for Rs 30 lakh ransom in Patna

PATNA: Three youths were arrested from Gardanibagh for their alleged involvement in kidnapping and murder of one Satyam Kumar (20) for Rs30 lakh ransom. His body was recovered in a steel trunk near the banks of river Ganga under Fatuha police station area in Patna district on August 29.
SP (central) Kantesh Kumar Mishra (incharge) said those arrested included Rajeev Kumar (25), a maternal cousin of the deceased.“Rajeev himself had lodged an FIR with Rajeev Nagar police station on August 30 suspecting kidnapping of Satyam. However, as investigation progressed, his role got exposed,” he said.
The two others arrested were identified as Navlesh Kumar and Aditya Kumar alias Bittu. All the three are in 25-30 years age group. Rajeev is a native of Jogichak in Jamui district, Navlesh is from Pakdi Barawa in Nawada and Aditya belongs to Gaighat in Patna. “The three were arrested near Chitkohra roundabout,” he said.
Mishra said the cellphone and sim card used for making the ransom call to Satyam’s father Pawan Kumar at Anandpur village in Lakhisarai were also recovered from Aditya’s possession. He said the ransom call was made a day after the FIR was lodged by police on Rajeev’s complaint.
The SP said Satyam used to visit Rajeev’s rented accommodation at Rajeev Nagar. “Rajeev worked as a contractor and he was under heavy debt. Satyam’s father had purchased a new SUV for him a few months back. Rajeev thought the deceased was a wealthy man and hatched a conspiracy to kidnap Satyam and extort money,” he said.
Mishra said Rajeev took Satyam to Navlesh’s rented accommodation at Beur on August 27 night for giving him a non-veg feast. “Satyam was strangled there and his body had been packed in a trunk and dumped in the river after transporting it in an SUV,” he said.
Mishra said a separate case was lodged against unknown persons with Fatuha police station in connection with the recovery of the body which remained unidentified till the kidnapping case was cracked.
Rajeev Nagar SHO Nishant Kumar said Rajeev had a private residence at Nawada which he had sold a few months back to pay a part of his debt. “Three more youths are involved in Satyam’s killing and raids were on to arrest them,” he said.