Nagpur: Khaparkheda police have rounded up two minors and arrested their 23-year-old accomplice, Madhuresh Pathak, for their alleged involvement in the murder of 26-year-old Nandkumar Verma on May 10. The murder happened after a tiff over consuming narcotics in Nursery locality of Khaparkheda. Verma’s decomposed body was fished out of Kanhan river on May 12.
The minors, aged about 15 and 17 years, were presented before the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB)
Police said Verma, working as security guard in the city, was summoned by the two minors and Pathak to join them in enjoying narcotics at the nursery. While enjoying the narcotics, the four friends had a quarrel among them. One of the minors took out a knife during the fight and ended up hurting Verma. After being injured, Verma started threatening the three. It was then that the minors and Pathak decided to bump off Verma.
After stabbing Verma in the chest, the assailants used stones to smash his head and face too, before setting his clothes on fire. The naked body was then hurled into Kanhan river.
Verma’s family members had lodged a missing complaint at Khaparkheda police station on May 11. Senior PI Ashok Sakharkar of Khaparkheda said the case was initially registered as accidental death. “Later, forensic experts indicated the victim had sustained stab wounds on the chest, following which the case of murder was registered. Then, upon information received from Sillewada locality, where the victims and assailants stayed, the three arrests were made,” he said.