In a significant development in the investigation into the brazen murder of a local entrepreneur in Uttar Pradesh, authorities have apprehended Pooja Shakun Pandey, the national general secretary of the All India Hindu Mahasabha. The arrest, announced by police on Saturday, marks a breakthrough in a case that has gripped Aligarh with its web of personal vendettas and alleged contract killings.
Pandey, who had a Rs 50,000 bounty on her head, was taken into custody late Friday near the Lodha bypass along the Agra-Jaipur highway in Rajasthan’s Bharatpur district. She appeared before a court the following day and was remanded to judicial custody. This capture brings the total number of arrests in the probe to four, underscoring the rapid progress by law enforcement in unraveling the conspiracy.
The victim, Abhishek Gupta, a 35-year-old businessman, met a violent end on September 26. He was gunned down in broad daylight as he prepared to board a bus with his father and a relative at the bustling Khereshwar Mandir crossing on the fringes of Aligarh. Despite frantic efforts to save him, Gupta succumbed to his injuries at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College Hospital, where medical staff pronounced him dead upon arrival.
Investigators describe the slaying as a meticulously planned hit, reportedly commissioned by Pandey and her husband, Ashok Pandey, amid a festering financial disagreement with Gupta. Sources indicate the couple had subjected the businessman to prolonged intimidation, escalating tensions to a fatal breaking point. The two sharpshooters implicated in pulling the trigger—Mohammad Fazal and Asif—were already in custody, having acted on directives from the Pandeys. Both assailants, police noted, were well-acquainted with the couple and frequent guests at their home, suggesting a layer of trusted familiarity in the plot.
Aligarh’s Senior Superintendent of Police, Neeraj Kumar, confirmed the latest arrest, stating that all primary suspects are now behind bars. “We anticipate filing a comprehensive charge sheet in the coming days,” he added, signaling closure on this phase of the inquiry.
The case has drawn attention not only for its chilling execution but also for the involvement of a prominent religious figure, raising questions about the intersections of personal disputes and public personas. As the probe deepens, it serves as a stark reminder of how unresolved grievances can spiral into tragedy in everyday communities.
-
-
-
-
