TV crime show inspired Kota men to kill friend for ransom

The three accused abducted and murdered their 19-year-old friend who was studying at a private polytechnic college in Kota city.

jaipur Updated: May 05, 2018 07:32 IST

Police said they managed to track the accused trio after interrogating more than 200 people. (HT Photo)

Three men from Kota were arrested on Thursday night for the murder of their friend. Police said the accused demanded a ransom of Rs 15 lakh from the victim’s father before they disposed of the body, the idea for which they got from a crime show on TV.

Vikrant Singh alias Himanshu (18) and Vijendra Singh Bhati (20) of Borkhera area, and Pradeep Kushwaha alias Binny (18) of Bhind in neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, were booked for the abduction and murder of 19-year-old Vishal Mewara, said Kota City police superintendent Anshuman Bhomiya.

Bhomiya said the trio had invited Mewara for a drink to Bhati’s agricultural field in Ramrajpura village on May 2. While there, the accused slit Mewara’s throat with a knife before hitting his face and head with an iron rod to disfigure the body.

“They put the body in a drum and poured salt over it for it to decompose. Later, they packed it in a sack and dumped it in the ravines of Chambal River near Notada village, 20km from the city,” the Kota City police chief said.

After the murder, they called Mewara’s father, Banwari Lal Mewara, to demand the ransom.

Bhomiya said the men wanted money to live “a lavish lifestyle”.

The son of a stone trader in Khairabad town of the district, Mewara moved to Kota city a year ago and was studying in a private polytechnic college.

Singh was Mewara’s friend and also a student at the same polytechnic college. Bhati works in an automobile company and Kushwaha is a street vendor of snacks.

Mewara’s mother had registered a missing person report at Borkhera police station on May 2 when he didn’t return. Police recovered the body on Thursday afternoon after receiving a tip from locals.

Police said they interrogated more than 200 people before they narrowed down their suspects to the accused.

During interrogation, the three told police that they got the idea for disposing the body from watching a crime show on television. “Criminals learn new tricks from these shows, which are meant to create awareness,” Bhowmiya said.