Patna: The shocking murder of an elderly couple in Patliputra’s Nehru Nagar has been solved, with police revealing that an illicit relationship was the motive behind the crime.
NK Srivastava (75) and his wife Sujata Devi (61) were found murdered in their home, and after thorough investigation, the police arrested Amit Kumar alias Chintu (31), a resident of Rajiv Nagar, for the double homicide.
Amit, a father of two daughters and a grocery shop owner in Nehru Nagar, is a drug addict originally from Hilsa in Nalanda. According to police, Amit had been involved in a secret relationship with Sujata Devi, a woman twice his age, which led to the brutal killings.
The case, described by Patna SSP Rajiv Mishra as “completely blind,” initially appeared to be a burglary, with neighbors reporting hearing a fight and items missing from the home. However, with the help of CCTV footage, the police identified Amit’s involvement through his bike’s number plate and his shirt, which were seen in surveillance footage near the crime scene.
Police claim that Amit had visited Sujata Devi’s house on Wednesday at her request. During this visit, Sujata’s husband, Srivastava, caught the two in a compromising position. An argument ensued, and Amit, in a fit of panic, pressed the elderly man’s mouth with a pillow, leading to his death. Sujata, in a desperate attempt to cover up the situation, stabbed her husband multiple times with a knife, resulting in fatal injuries.
After the elderly man’s death, Sujata went to wash the blood from her hands, but Amit, fearing exposure, attacked her from behind, slitting her throat. A scuffle broke out, during which Sujata bit Amit’s hand before succumbing to her injuries. Amit then crushed her head with a rod to ensure her death.
The police were able to pinpoint Amit’s location through the mobile phone dump data, placing both the victims and the accused in the same vicinity during the time of the crime. Footage from the apartment’s CCTV showed a man, later identified as Amit, leaving the building on a bike. Although the footage was unclear, further investigation revealed Amit’s involvement through his vehicle and clothing.
On Thursday night, the police apprehended Amit from his shop. During a raid at his residence, they recovered the blood-stained shirt he had worn during the murders. Under police interrogation, Amit confessed to the crime, stating that Sujata had invited him to her home at around 10:30 AM on the day of the incident. The crime took place between 11:00 AM and 12:00 PM. After committing the murders, Amit locked the couple’s flat from the outside and fled the scene.
Forensic analysis further confirmed Amit’s handprints on the knife, pillow, and other objects used in the murders.
In addition to the affair, police discovered that Sujata had recently given Amit ₹50,000, which she had received from her son. The two were in frequent contact, with phone records showing daily conversations between them.
After the murders, Amit stole several valuable items from the couple’s home, including jewelry, a silver betel leaf, a silver bowl, a camera, and mobile phones. The stolen jewelry, which Amit had mortgaged to a local goldsmith for ₹1 lakh, has since been recovered by the police.
The police have charged Amit with multiple offences, including murder and theft.
दिनांक 15.10.24 को #पाटलिपुत्रा थानान्तर्गत नेहरु नगर स्थित एक फ्लैट से एक दंपत्ति का शव बरामद किया गया था।
इस संबंध में काण्ड दर्ज करते हुए एक #SIT_टीम का गठन कर अनुसंधान प्ररंभ किया गया था।
घटना के महज 72 घंटे के अंदर #CCTV_फूटेज के सूक्ष्म अवलोकन एवं फोरेंसिक साक्ष्यों के… pic.twitter.com/dEkLnjUrLK
— Patna Police (@PatnaPolice24x7) October 18, 2024
