Police: Addicts had killed friend over drug deal money, burned body

KURUKSHETRA: The CIA-1 of the Kurukshetra police have cracked a blind murder case of an unidentified man (around 30 years), whose half-burnt body was found from a secluded area along the agricultural fields near Shahbad-Markanda town on July 30 evening.
Three persons identified as Krishan Kumar Kittu and Shivam of Hafed Colony, Shahbad and Ajay Kumar of Tyora village in Kurukshetra district have been arrested in this conection. The police said the accused had been taken on three-day police remand for recovery of a memory card, mobile phone and motorcycle used in the crime.
As per information, all four were friends and they used to consume heroin, following which they started selling the contraband to make money.
Kurukshetra SP Astha Modi said, "After our teams initiated the investigation, the deceased was identified as Sandeep Kumar of Jainpur village in Kurukshetra district with the help of the bangle, ring and his clothes. Sandeep was murdered following a monetary dispute and his body was burnt in an attempt to destroy the evidence. The arrested accused and deceased used to consume and sell heroin and following a monetary dispute in the drug trade, Sandeep got murdered."
On the complaint of Rakesh Kumar Bains of Shahbad, a case was registered on July 31 at Shahbad police station. Bains stated, "On July 30, around 8pm, I came to know that a body is lying near my fields. I immediately informed the police."
SP Modi said, "Acting on the tip-off, the trio was arrested from Barara road in Shahbad and they have confessed to murdering Sandeep." As per sources, Krishan owed Rs 20,000 to Sandeep while both Shivam and Ajay also owed him some money. "When Sandeep asked for his money from the accused, they conspired to murder him. On July 27, they took Sandeep on a motorcycle near Damli village and the three strangulated him to death. They dumped him at a secluded place and to destroy the evidence smashed his face with a stone and set him on fire," said Modi.