2 held for bizarre murder in Solan

The Solan police have claimed to have solved a bizarre murder case with the arrest of two youths last evening who had allegedly chopped off the head and torso of a youth killed during hunting and disposed it of at isolated places in Solan and Sirmaur districts.

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The Solan police had received a complaint on January 23 from one Yashpal, a resident of Saproon, that his brother-in-law Somdutt, Sonu (38), a resident of Pachhad in Sirmaur, was missing since January 21. Sonu was staying with him since January 18 as he had come to meet his sister.

On January 21, he had ventured into the adjoining forest area to fetch wood, but did not return. His phone was found switched off and his family unsuccessfully searched for him in the forest. The family lodged a missing person’s report at Solan on January 23, said SP Solan, Gaurav Singh.

The Solan police swung into action and questioned the eyewitnesses who said that on the evening of January 21, they had seen two persons going towards the same forest where Sonu had gone. The duo was identified as Bhutto Ram, working at the water pump house there, and Sandeep (Ajay), a resident of Sultanpur.

Sonu had also gone towards the forest with a gun belonging to the neighbour of his brother-in-law. The complainant Yashpal had expressed doubt that Bhutto and Sandeep (Ajay) had shot dead his brother-in-law.

Following this, the police analysed the call details record and tower location of cell phones of Bhutto and Sandeep on January 21. They were traced and interrogated and though they tried to mislead the police, their attempt was not successful. The police found that both had gone for hunting in the same forest area. They had parked their vehicles on the side of the road and barged into the forest. At the same time, Somdutt (Sonu) had also gone to the same area for hunting with a gun.

During hunting, Sandeep (Ajay) fired a shot from his gun which hit the head of Somdutt (Sonu) hunting on the other side, leading to his instant death.

In a bid to conceal the crime, both accused put the body in a plastic bag and transported it in their car to a cave in the Vasni forest of Sirmaur district. Before leaving for the cave, they left their mobile phones in the car to avoid detection of their location by the police.

They then chopped the neck of the deceased with a razor in the cave and separated it from the torso. After setting the torso on fire in the cave , they returned with the head of the deceased in a bid to mislead the police from identifying the body.

They took the head to the forest area of Sultanpur and after setting it ablaze, they buried it.. The accused also broke and threw away the mobile phone of the victim and also hid his gun.

The Solan police, however, identified the places where the torso and neck of deceased Somdutt were hidden by the accused in the cave of the Vasni forest in the adjoining Sirmaur district as well as the forest of Sultanpur in Solan district.

The two spots were inspected by the forensic team from Junga. The accused Sandeep had hidden the gun used in the crime near his house which was also seized. Following probe, the accused confessed to committing the crime.

Both accused, Bhutto Ram (49) and Sandeep Kumar (41), residents of Sultanpur, were arrested by the Solan police last night. Accused Sandeep, alias Ajay’s .12 bore gun and live cartridges, were also seized.

Meanwhile, the previous criminal record of both accused was being investigated, who were presented in court today. The body is also being identified on the basis of forensic investigation.