Three accused in Munger double murder case held

PATNA: Three accused in the Munger double murder case were arrested from Khagaria on Sunday. DIG (Munger range) Manu Maharaaj had constituted a special investigation team (SIT), which arrested Mohammad Arif alias Vikas, Mohammad Shahwaz alias Beet and Mohammad Ezaz within 48 hours of the recovery of bodies of Mohammad Asif and his girlfriend Riya alias Twinkle from an orchard behind the Munger block office on Friday night.
Asif’s friend Danish, who was arrested, had revealed the names of his three associates involved in the killing. The police said the four accused killed Riya when they failed to rape her. Both Asif and Riya were in their early 20s.
Munger SP Gaurav Mangla said the SIT members arrested the three from Salempur village in Khagaria district. They had escaped from their native village Sujawalpur under Mufassil police station in Munger district soon after the incident. “The three were brought to Munger and produced in the court on Monday. The court sent them to Munger district jail,” the SP told this newspaper over phone.
The SP said both Asif and Riya were preparing for medical entrance examination. Riya’s scootteretti was found a stone’s throw from the site of crime.
“Asif was murdered for being the eyewitness to the killing of Riya and also resisting the rape attempt,” an investigating officer quoted Danish as saying. He said Danish initially tried to mislead the police.
DIG Manu said Danish revealed the truth when confronted with scientific evidences such as call detail record and FSL as well as the postmortem reports. A country-made pistol used in the crime and two cartridges were seized from the possession of Danish, he added.
“I have directed the SP to ensure that the chargesheet is filed in the court at the earliest and also list the case for speedy trial. All the accused have been arrested and evidences collected to get the offenders punished by the court of law,” he said.
Meanwhile, RJD MLA Vijay Kumar Vijay, who is the uncle of Riya, said, “I have requested the police to bring the truth.”