Less than 24 hours after an auto rickshaw driver’s body was found in a trolley bag at Rajendranagar, a 33-year-old AIMIM leader and realtor was hacked to death by three people after being chased on the busy Rajendranagar-Attapur main road late Sunday.
Gory act
The video of the gory act caught by bystanders on their mobile phones went viral on social media.
According to Shamshabad DCP N Prakash Reddy, the victim, Mohammed Khaleel from MM Pahadi area, was murdered by a chef and owner of Garib Nawaz Hotel, Shaik Rasheed, 29, and his two workers -- Mohammed Azmath, 28, and Syed Imran -- both chefs -- over financial disputes, at pillar no. 248 of PVNR Expressway.
COVID-19 loss
Khaleel, who lends money on monthly interest, gave ₹15 lakh to the prime accused Rasheed, who failed to repay the amount as he incurred losses due to COVID-19 lockdown. The accused also borrowed money on interest from several private financiers.
Due to severe debts, Rasheed approached the victim for a loan of ₹50 lakh to clear his debts with other persons for which the latter insisted him to hand over his hotel till repayment of the amount, Mr. Reddy said.
When Rasheed did not agree to Khaleel’s terms, the latter started pressurising for repayment of the previous loan of ₹15 lakh.
Conspiracy
“As he was not in a position to clear the debt, the accused hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Khaleel with the help of his workers,” he said.
To commission the offence, the accused procured two knives from Charminar and spade handles from a shop near M.M. Pahadi and were waiting for the ‘right opportunity’.
On Sunday afternoon, Khaleel went to the hotel for his monthly payment and considering it as a right opportunity, the accused asked the former to meet him near HF Convention in the area to collect money.
Around 11.15 p.m. the victim reached the convention on his scooter and met Khaleel. “While they both were discussing, Azmath and Imran attacked him from behind, and soon he tried to escape. In the meantime, Rasheed took a cement block and bludgeoned Khaleel. He was also attacked with knives, as a result of which he died on the spot,” the DCP said.
Soon, the accused persons sped on the victim’s scooter to Jalpally where they changed their clothes and disposed of the blood stained clothes.
However, a few hours later, the trio were arrested by the Rajendra Nagar police and were remanded to judicial custody.
