Man, son in police net for property dealer’s murder

A man and his son have been arrested for allegedly murdering a property dealer, Lakhpat Singh Kataria (56), alias Lakkhi, over an old enmity in Malviya Nagar here, the police said.

Kataria was attacked while he was on a morning walk in Vijay Mandal Park here on Friday. He was rushed to the AIIMS Trauma Centre in an unconscious state where doctors declared him dead on arrival. The medico-legal report revealed multiple penetrating injuries, including gunshot wounds.

Investigators revealed that Kataria and his associates assaulted Khushi Ram in 2016 over some property dispute, leaving him bedridden for nine months. Since then, he had harboured resentment.

“During investigation, the police examined over 650 CCTV cameras spanning 55 km. It was revealed that two persons reached the spot on a black motorcycle and waited for Kataria outside Vijay Mandal Park. While he was on a morning walk in the park, they murdered him with a cricket bat and a firearm,” said Ankit Chauhan, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South District.

Detailed analysis of call data records led investigators to Khushi Ram (47) and his 17-year-old son. The police said Khushi Ram deliberately planned the attack a day before his son’s 18th birthday to take advantage of the juvenile law.

During questioning, Khushi Ram admitted that he had harboured resentment for years and involved his son in the plan. He arranged a country-made pistol and tasked his son to conduct recce of Kataria’s daily routine before executing the attack.

The police recovered the motorcycle, a broken cricket bat and the weapon used in the crime. Khushi Ram had a criminal past as several cases, including assault, criminal intimidation and property disputes, were registered against him, the police said.