Lucknow | Police in Varanasi have arrested a 24-year-old man for the alleged murder of his friend, whose body was found in a field earlier this month. The accused has been identified as Virendra Yadav, while the deceased was Aftab Alam (28), a former colleague.
According to the police, the body of an unidentified man was found lying near a pond in Mahagaon Madai village on January 8. Blood was reportedly visible from the mouth and nose. During the search of the spot, police recovered a bag containing an identity card with the name Aftab Alam, son of Kalamuddin, along with details of his employer, a private company. The victim was later confirmed to be a resident of Chapra, Bihar. After completing inquest formalities, the body was sent for post-mortem and later handed over to the family for last rites.
On January 21, Aftab’s family approached the Sindhaura police station suspecting foul play. They pointed to unusual financial transactions from Aftab’s bank account to Virendra’s account. Police said that on the same day the body was recovered, an amount of ₹40,000 was transferred via UPI to the accused’s account.
Based on the complaint, a case of murder was registered and an investigation was launched. During the probe, police identified Virendra Yadav, a resident of Laskarpur village under Cholapur police station, as the prime suspect. He was arrested on January 25.
During interrogation, the accused told police that he and the victim had previously lived and worked together as helpers in a Bengaluru-based firm. He alleged that an incident in the past had led to personal humiliation, which he claimed became the motive for the crime. Police said the accused stated that this resentment drove him to plan the murder.
According to investigators, on January 7, while travelling from Chapra to Chennai for work, Aftab stopped in Varanasi to meet Virendra. From the railway station, the accused allegedly took him to a secluded area in Mahagaon on the pretext of taking him home. There, police claim, Aftab was strangled with a rope and his body was dumped in a field.
On the basis of the accused’s disclosure, police recovered the rope allegedly used in the crime along with the victim’s Aadhaar card, ATM card, mobile phone, PAN card, company employee ID and contractor ID card. Police said efforts are underway to trace and arrest another person suspected to be involved in the crime.
The victim’s family has rejected the accused’s version of events. Aftab’s father, Kalamuddin, alleged that the murder was committed for financial gain and that the claims made by the accused were an attempt to mislead the investigation.
Police officials also stated that the accused has a criminal history, with multiple cases registered against him at Cholapur police station, including charges related to murder, attempt to murder, violations of the Arms Act and cases under the Gangsters Act. The investigation is continuing.
