Man kills co-worker, disfigures face after failing to repay loan
New Delhi (PTI): A 45-year-old technician at a railway station here was arrested for allegedly killing a co-worker who was asking him to return the money she had loaned him, police said on Thursday.
Mohammad Zakir, technical supervisor at Nizamuddin Railway Station, allegedly killed her by stabbing her multiple times on her neck and later poured acid on her face and body to hide her identity, they said.
Police said the victim, a clerk at the railway station, had given Rs 11 lakh to the accused after taking personal loans in 2018 and 2019. They said her body was recovered by Greater Noida police on Saturday near Sector 148 Metro Station.
According to police, the daughter of the victim lodged a complaint that her mother went missing on September 8. The next day, they approached Ambedkar Nagar police station and lodged a missing report, a senior police officer said.
The family members of the victim received a call on September 9 around 8 pm from Knowledge Park police station of Greater Noida (UP) about her mother's death. A murder case was registered at Ambedkar Nagar police station, the officer said.
During investigation, it was found that Zakir had not returned the amount to the victim due to which she was under stress, Deputy Commissioner of Police (south) Chandan Chowdhary said.
Inquiry revealed that on September 8, the woman left her office around 2 pm and Zakir was on leave. When police tried to trace his mobile phone, it was found switched off.
Later, police got the location of the suspect, conducted raids for over 20 hours at more than 60 locations of Subhash Vihar and arrested the accused, the DCP said.
During interrogation, Zakir said that the victim was pressurising him to return the money, following which he planned to kill her, police said.
The accused took her to Knowledge Park, Noida and allegedly killed her with an iron dagger, police said. He poured acid on her face and body to hide her identity, and hid the weapon and acid near the bushes of an electric pole at Sector 148, Noida, they said.
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89 killed as storm, rain batter UP; relief work underway
Lucknow (PTI): At least 89 people were killed after a strong storm and heavy rain pounded several districts of Uttar Pradesh, uprooting trees and electric poles and damaging houses, according to the Relief Commissioner's office.
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took cognisance of the loss of lives and damage caused by the unseasonal rain, thunderstorms and lightning on Wednesday and directed officials to ensure relief reaches the affected families within 24 hours.
In a post on X on Thursday, the Relief Commissioner's office said, "Due to bad weather on May 13, including storms, rain, hailstorm and lightning, reports of 89 deaths, 53 injured persons, 114 livestock losses and damage to 87 houses have been received in the state, which has been taken cognisance of by the Hon'ble Chief Minister."
It said the chief minister has directed all divisional commissioners and district magistrates to verify the incidents "with full sensitivity" and ensure financial assistance is distributed to affected families within 24 hours while establishing direct communication with them and extending other necessary help.
The Relief Commissioner's office said it is continuously monitoring the situation through direct coordination with district officials and necessary funds are being made available to districts.
According to a list issued by the Prayagraj district administration, seven deaths were reported in the Handia area, four in Phulpur, three in Soraon, two in Meja and one in Sadar due to the storm and rain.
In Bhadohi, district administration sources said at least 16 people died in storm-related incidents.
Additional District Magistrate Kunwar Virendra Kumar Maurya said trees and electric poles were uprooted in several areas while many houses were damaged in the storm.
Fatehpur Additional District Magistrate Avinash Tripathi said nine people were killed and 16 injured in storm-related incidents in the district.
"Eight people, including five women, died in Khaga tehsil, while a woman died after a wall of a house collapsed in Sadar tehsil," he said.
In Pratapgarh, four people died in separate incidents of wall and cemented shed collapses and lightning strikes amid strong winds and rain, officials said.
Superintendent of Police Deepak Bhukar said Bhim Yadav (25) died after he was trapped under the debris of a cemented shed that collapsed in Ojha Ka Purwa village in the Lalganj Kotwali area.
He said Bhushan Pandey (56) died after a wall collapsed in Sari Swami village under the Baghrai police station area.
Bhukar said Shanti Devi (46) of Narangpur village and Lal Bahadur (44) of Chhatrapur Shivala Raghna village also died in storm-related incidents.
In Kanpur Dehat district, two persons died in rain-related incidents, the officials said.
Police sources said a 19-year-old woman, Ruchi, died after being struck by lightning in Bhauthari village under the Rasulabad area while standing under a neem tree with goats during heavy rain. Several goats also died in the incident.
A 60-year-old man standing nearby was injured, they added.
Additional District Magistrate (Finance and Revenue) Dushyant Kumar said reports regarding human and livestock losses have been sought from local officials and financial assistance will be provided as per government rules.
In Deoria, Komal Yadav (62), a resident of Bhimpur Gaura village, died after being struck by lightning, district administration sources said. Two others were injured in the incident.
In another incident, Ramnath Prasad (65), a resident of Neruari village, died in a lightning strike.
In Sonbhadra district, Madhav Singh (38) died after being trapped under a tree uprooted during the rain and the storm.
Adityanath directed the district magistrates and officials of various departments to visit the affected areas and provide all possible assistance to the victims and their families.
He also instructed the officials to remain alert and ordered the revenue and agriculture departments, along with insurance companies, to conduct a survey of the damage and submit a report to the government.
