Hyderabad: Liquor bottle's bar code helps cops nab killer
The accused were identified as the step-mother of the victim Panchal Sachin, 28, and her would-be son-in-law.
Hyderabad: The Choutuppal police picked up clues from an empty liquor bottle and mobile phone signals and arrested two persons, including a woman, from Humnabad in Karnataka for the murder of a man 50 days ago.
The accused were identified as the step-mother of the victim Panchal Sachin, 28, and her would-be son-in-law. The body of the carpenter, a Beeramguda resident, was found on the outskirts of Ankireddygudem.
On May 29, the police recovered the body of an unidentified man. They found an empty liquor bottle and two plastic glasses. Based on the barcode on the bottle, the police went to Sri Mayuri Wine Shop in Lakdikapul where CCTV images showed the buyers.
The police then checked thousands of mobile phone numbers that travelled on the Lakdikapul-Choutuppal route for one that stopped working on May 29. That would be the mobile phone of the dead man, they surmised. The man was later identified as Sachin.
After locating the number, police checked the call records and went to Beeramguda where they learned about another person, Mohammed Ghousuddin alias Ghouse, was seen with Sachin.
Police then found that Ghouse, who works at a mobile store in Jagadish Market in Abids, was in love with Sachin’s step-sister who lives in Humnabad. Sachin was against their relationship whereas his step-mother Pancham Jagdevi was for it.
Jagdevi and Sachin also had financial disputes, and she allegedly instigated Ghouse to kill him. As part of the plan, Ghouse took Sachin to the outskirts of Ankireddygudem and slit his throat after getting him drunk.
Bhongir DCP E. Ramchandra Reddy confirmed that Ghouse and Jagdevi have been arrested.
Police said after killing Sachin, Ghouse sold his mobile phone by tampering its IMEI number and started using a new phone.