UP: 22-year-old youth allegedly murders stepfather after flying in from New Zealand

RAMPUR: A businessman was shot dead at his car service centre in Uttar Pradesh's Rampur district allegedly by his 22-year-old stepson due to resentment over his 49-year-old mother's decision to remarry, officials said.

Avdeep Singh had returned from New Zealand around five days before the murder and allegedly conspired with his cousin Rajandeep Singh to kill Navjot. The accused was opposed to his mother Kamal Kaur's marriage to Navjot, 30, who was considerably younger than her, they said.

Avdeep and Rajandeep Singh, 23, were arrested within 48 hours of the October 10 murder of Navjot in the Milak Khanam area, Additional Superintendent of Police Anurag Singh told reporters on Monday.

Navjot, a resident of Tah Kalan village, ran a business called Gill Washing Hub in Kumhariya Kalan. He was at his shop around 5 pm on October 10 when two men arrived in a grey Alto car and allegedly opened fire on him before fleeing, police said.

Navjot "died of gunshot injuries. His father subsequently lodged a complaint at the local police station," he said.

The police recovered a grey Alto car allegedly used in the crime, three firearms, six live cartridges and two empty cartridges from them, he said.

"Our surveillance team and the local police worked diligently on the case and successfully arrested both shooters, along with the vehicle and weapons used in the crime. They are being sent to jail," he added.

According to the officer, CCTV footage of the incident was available and had been circulated among several people.

With the help of the footage and other evidence, the two accused were arrested. One of them is the stepson of the deceased. The other is the son of the woman's paternal aunt. The accused are cousins, Singh said.

"The murder appears to have stemmed from a family feud. The deceased had married a woman considerably older than him. Her sons from her previous marriage were unhappy with her decision to remarry, and preliminary investigations indicate that the killing was carried out because of this resentment.

"We solved the case within 48 hours, and the team has been rewarded by the SP," Singh told reporters.

Kamal Kaur had married Navjot after the death of her first husband. Her two sons, Avdeep and Joganpreet Singh, who work in New Zealand, were unhappy with the marriage, according to police.

Navjot's father, Nishan Singh, alleged that his daughter-in-law's sons had opposed the marriage and sought protection for her, expressing fears for her safety.

Further investigation is underway, police said.