A 45-year-old property dealer, Dhirendra Pratap Singh, was allegedly abducted and murdered in Lucknow, with police suspecting a dispute involving land in Unnao as a possible motive, officials said. The body was recovered from a canal near Dubagga on Sunday, more than 22 km from the place where he was allegedly abducted.
Sources said Singh was suspected to have been shot in the leg and head inside his SUV (Fortuner) before his body was allegedly dumped in the canal. The vehicle was also recovered. Police, however, said the exact motive and sequence of events would become clear as the investigation progresses.
The incident occurred on Saturday and came to light after people spotted Singh’s body in Chhoti Naher in the Saray Premraj area under Dubagga police station, officials said, adding that his driver and one of his associates had been detained and were being questioned.
According to police, Singh, who lived in the PGI area and was originally from Unnao, had gone missing from Sushant Golf City. His wife Mamta Singh filed a complaint on Saturday alleging that her husband had been abducted by his driver and some associates.
Deputy commissioner of police (south) Mohd Mushtaq said a missing person case was registered soon after the complaint was received, and six police teams were formed to trace Singh and investigate the case. The teams examined CCTV footage and surveillance inputs to establish his movements and identify those involved.
“During the investigation so far, it has emerged that his driver, along with his associates, murdered Dhirendra Pratap Singh. The body has been recovered, and the vehicle in which he was murdered has also been recovered,” Mushtaq said, adding that a murder case was registered on Sunday after the body was found.
According to Mushtaq, the investigation so far indicates that a dispute over property in Unnao could have led to the killing. Police are examining Singh’s land-related dealings, the nature of the dispute and the people involved to determine whether the driver or his associates had any connection with those opposed to him. Investigators have not ruled out other possible motives.
Police teams were analysing CCTV footage from Sushant Golf City, the routes towards Dubagga and the area around the canal. They are also reconstructing Singh’s movements before his disappearance and examining his call and contact details, officials said.
Investigators are questioning the two detained suspects to establish the sequence of events, identify any other people involved and determine whether the killing was planned. The recovered vehicle is also expected to provide clues about where and how the murder took place.
Mushtaq said anyone else found to have been involved would face “strict and effective action”. The post-mortem examination is expected to establish the exact cause and manner of Singh’s death. The investigation is continuing, with the Unnao property dispute remaining a key line of inquiry, officials said.
