Muzaffarnagar riot killing accused plotted jail warder’s murder: Cops

Nai Mandi area Circle Officer Karamveer said Muzammil has been booked on charges of conspiracy and on Friday police also obtained a warrant from court holding him as accused in Sharma’s murder. Police said they would soon approach court to seek his custody for questioning.

Senior sub-inspector Prabhakar Kenpura, who is the investigating officer in the murder case, said Muzammil’s name surfaced after police arrested one of the alleged killers — Neeraj — of Laak village in Muzaffarnagar on January 25. A pistol reportedly used in the murder was also recovered from the accused, he said. Neeraj, an aide of Tyagi, was caught following tip-off from informers.

Neeraj, who was lodged in the same prison in connection with a loot case, was released on bail on December 5, a few days before the murder. During questioning, he told police that after Tyagi and Muzammil plotted the murder, he went to jail and met them on December 12. Muzammil allegedly gave him a paper carrying the cellphone numbers of two shooters and asked him to help them identify the target. Neeraj contacted the two youths and met them near the jail that evening.

As Sharma came out of jail and was walking towards his house, around 200 metres away, the three came on a motorcycle and fired at him. Sharma suffered four bullet injuries and died on the spot. “Neeraj also fired at the victim. He claimed he did not know much about the other two shooters and that they were known to Muzammil,” said the investigating officer.

Muzammil has been lodged in jail after his arrest along with four others for his involvement in the killing of Sachin and Gaurav in Muzaffarnagar’s Kawal village. He is a relative of Shahnawaz, who was allegedly beaten to death by Sachin and Gaurav after an altercation over sexual harassment.