Sonepat killing was over control of illegal mining

Mukesh Tandon

Tribune News Service

Sonepat, April 17

The district police have arrested nine persons in connection with a murder that took place allegedly over a tussle between two groups to control an illegal mining business spread across several villages on the banks of the Yamuna river in Sonepat.

Nikhil of Mehandipur village was shot dead in broad daylight near a grain market in Murthal on April 10. A rival group allegedly hired four shooters, who came on two motorcycles and pumped 13 bullets into Nikhil’s body and fled, the police said.

The illegal business is learnt to be spread across Asadpur, Nandnaur, Bakhtawarpur, Mimarpur, Bega, Chandoli, Gyaspur and others villages. A villager claimed that the groups comprised members with criminal background and even the official mining companies didn’t dare to speak up against them. Anil Kumar, District Mining Officer, said action would be taken against the illegal activity if they received any complaint from mining companies.

The police said Nikhil was a history-sheeter and had over 10 criminal cases pending against him. Among those arrested for the killing is kingpin Vipin, alias Sonu, of Bakhtawarpur. The other accused were Daulat, alias Pradeep, and Ankit of Bakhtawarpur; Aman of Rajpur (Gannaur, Sonepat), Sumit of Mehandipur; Raja Hooda of Rasulpur Jahid village in Meerut; Anuj, alias Richha, and Ankur of Bassi village in Baghpat (UP); and Sonu of Mehrampur village in Baghpat, said DCP Vijay Singh. The accused were arrested from Mehrampur village. The police said it appeared there was an enmity between Vipin and Nikhil. Vipin, Daulat and Ankit allegedly hired the four shooters to kill Nikhil, the DCP said.

Nine arrested for Nikhil’s murder

• Nikhil of Mehandipur village was shot dead in Murthal on April 10
• Vipin and his associates from a rival group arrested from UP
• Both had ‘rivalry’ over illegal mining on the banks of the Yamuna