BENGALURU: A visiting card of a bike mechanic shop found in the pocket of a 48-year-old murder victim helped the Electronic City police establish his identity and crack the case, leading to the arrest of his son and son-in-law for allegedly killing him over a family dispute.
The deceased has been identified as Rafique (48), a resident of Bommanahalli and a native of Tamil Nadu. He worked as a bike mechanic at a shop on Hosur Road and was addicted to alcohol. The accused are his son, Syed Sharuk (26), a bike taxi captain, and his son-in-law, Shahinshah (36), an autorickshaw driver.
According to the police, on July 4, residents found the body of an unidentified man lying near a eucalyptus grove behind an apartment at Vittasandra village near Singasandra Lake. The police rushed to the spot and shifted the body to a hospital for a post-mortem examination.
The victim had bleeding injuries and multiple strangulation marks on his neck, raising suspicion of murder. As there were no identity documents on the body and no missing person complaint had been registered, the investigation initially faced a challenge.
However, a visiting card of a bike mechanic shop found in the deceased's pocket became the crucial clue in identifying him.
A police team visited the mechanic shop on Hosur Road and learnt that the deceased worked there. The team then traced his residential address in Bommanahalli and questioned his family members.
During the inquiry, the family revealed that Rafi had been taken by his son and son-in-law on July 3, to drop him to a rehabilitation centre. The police then questioned the duo, who allegedly confessed to the murder.
A senior police officer said that Rafi had been addicted to alcohol for the past eight years and frequently got into quarrels with his family while under the influence. He had earlier undergone treatment at a rehabilitation centre for about three months, but resumed drinking after returning home.
On July 3, a quarrel broke out at the family's residence. The following day, another quarrel broke out, and the accused, who were also under the influence of alcohol, assaulted Rafique at the house and forced him into Shahinshah's auto rickshaw, claiming they were taking him back to a rehabilitation centre.
While they were on the way, a fresh argument broke out. During the altercation, Shahinshah allegedly used a rope kept inside the vehicle to strangle Rafique to death.
The accused then transported the body to a eucalyptus grove near Singasandra Lake and dumped it there in an attempt to destroy evidence and avoid arrest.
The accused also failed to inform other family members about the incident. Based on the investigation and their alleged confession, the Electronic City police arrested both men. They were produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody.