Chandigarh, July 1: Four assailants have been arrested for the murder of 27-year-old Amit Katoch in Sector 40 by the local police. Prime accused Rajat Tiwari is, however, still at large.
Sources said those arrested had been identified as Tilak (21), Ritvik Bhardwas, alias Tarun (20), both residents of of Burail, Sector 45, Chetan Singh (18), a resident of Sector 34, and Harpreet Singh, alias Laddi.
They were identified on the basis of CCTV footage collected from the mini market in Sector 40.
Prime accused Rajat Tiwari, who is already facing at least two cases, including a kidnapping case and a case of attempt to murder, is still at large.
The sources said Tiwari and Laddi had escaped to Ludhiana after the murder, while the other three suspects were in Chandigarh only.
A police official, who is investigating the case, said the call detail records (CDRs) of Tiwari revealed that he had called up his friend to inform about the attack on Amit. “Tiwari told his friend that Amit has been taught a lesson and now he will keep lying in the hospital for sometime,” the police official added.
The victim’s family and friends gathered at the Sector 39 police station on Sunday. Onkar Katoch, Amit’s father, said his son was very helpful and the incident had left the entire family in shock.
Amit, who was into the sale and purchase of secondhand cars, was chased and attacked with sharp weapons at the mini market in Sector 40 on June 28. He tried to save himself by hiding in a sweets shop. However, the suspects followed him and attacked him, leading to his death.
Tiwari trailed victim from Kharar
Police sources said the dump data of mobile phones of the victim and prime suspect Tiwari revealed that the duo left Kharar at the same time and reached Sector 40. “Tiwari had already planned to attack the victim and followed him from his house in Kharar up to the mini market in Sector 40,” said the sources. As soon as the victim alighted from his car, Tiwari and his accomplices attacked him with sharp weapons and a bottle. Amit was supposed to meet a friend there.
Victim’s friend kidnapped, thrashed
One of the victim’s friends claimed he was reportedly kidnapped from outside the PGI after the murder by unknown persons. He later escaped from their clutches.
Kamal (21), who has recorded his statement with the police, claimed that after the murder, he, along with other friends, reached the PGI. A few youths, who were in a car, stopped him outside the parking at the PGI and asked him if he was known to the victim. Sources said Kamal claimed that he was a cousin of the victim and would take revenge following which the unknown persons asked him to accompany him to the crime spot. Kamal sat in their car after which they thrashed him and took him to Jagadhri. Kamal claimed that all of them were drunk. However, one of the persons accompanying the suspects later helped him flee after which he informed his friend and a cousin. He returned to his house later in the night. The police said they were verifying his claim.
