In a sensational killing in Ghazipur district, two cousins, who included the son of a gram pradhan, were stabbed to death late on Wednesday night.
The local police along with senior officers reached the spot and launched a hunt for the killers.
Superintendent of Police of Ghazipur, Omveer Singh, who reached the spot on Thursday morning, interrogated the relatives and villagers while investigating the case for hours.
Reports said that Vikas alias Indrajit Bind (17), son of village head Ramlal Bind of Badhaipur village under Mohammadabad police station, along with Sunil Bind (18) of Bauri village under Nonhara police station, and friend Sudama Bind, went to the farm late on Wednesday night for some work. When they did not return home even after a long time, the relatives started searching for the youths. They later found the dead bodies of two of them lying in pools of blood in the farmhouse. The relatives informed the police about the incident.
The relatives suspect that Sudama Bind, who is absconding, murdered the two cousins. The motive behind the killing is yet to be confirmed.
Meanwhile, in another killing, a shopkeeper was shot dead over a dispute of just Rs 10 in Mainpuri, the police said.
The victim, Maheshchand Jatav, a Dalit, was sleeping outside his makeshift shop when the accused, identified as Gulfaam alias Gulla Banjara, shot him in the head.
The police arrested Gulfaam and sent him to jail.
According to Additional Superintendent of Police Rajesh Kumar, Gulfaam revealed that Jatav used to sell petrol in addition to other items at his shop. A few days before the incident, Gulfaam had purchased petrol from Jatav. After leaving the shop, Gulfaam noticed a discrepancy of Rs 10 in the transaction.
Gulfaam then asked Jatav to adjust the balance amount, but he refused, leading to an argument between them. Jatav even threatened Gulfaam, the police said, after questioning the accused.
Threatened by Jatav, Gulfaam decided to take revenge and shot him dead on the night of June 12 last. He was absconding since then. Police finally arrested him and sent him to jail on Thursday.