GURGAON: A former Army man and two alleged contract killers hired by him have been arrested for allegedly murdering his cousin’s 35-year-old wife over a land dispute in Dohla village near Sohna, police said on Tuesday.The main accused, Sandeep, a resident of Dohla village, was dismissed from the Indian Army following a court-martial in 2023, police said. He was arrested on Monday and remanded to police custody for four days. His associates, Anuj (29) and Avnish (30), were arrested on Tuesday.A senior police officer said the case was solved within 12 hours of the woman’s last rites.The victim, Neetu, wife of Prashant, was found dead inside her house on October 16. Her hands were tied, and her mouth and face were covered with tape, police said.According to the complaint filed by her husband, he left home around 7.45 am on October 16 to drop his children at a school in Garhi Bazidpur. When he returned around 2.30 pm after picking them up, he found Neetu lying dead inside the house.He removed the tape covering her mouth, untied her hands and took her to the Government Hospital in Sohna, where doctors declared her dead. Based on his complaint, a case was registered against unidentified persons at Sadar Sohna police station.Naveen Sharma, ACP (Crime), said preliminary interrogation revealed that Sandeep wanted to facilitate the sale of land owned by Prashant. Sandeep had paid Rs 1 lakh as an advance under an agreement to purchase the land. However, Neetu considered the agreed price too low and persuaded her husband to return the money, allegedly prompting Sandeep to plan her murder, Sharma said.Sandeep had earlier been posted in Roorkee during his Army service, where he became acquainted with Anuj, who was working as a contractual cook. He later met Avnish through Anuj, police said.Anuj currently works in the electricity sector, while Avnish is employed as a delivery boy with a quick commerce platform, they added.During interrogation, the accused allegedly revealed that they had conducted a recce of Neetu’s house on August 31.On October 16, Anuj and Avnish travelled from Roorkee to Dohla village. Sandeep and his associates reached Neetu’s house but returned without executing their plan because she was talking on the phone, Sharma said.Later, around 10.05 am, Sandeep and Anuj allegedly entered the house while Avnish stayed outside to keep watch. They had brought tape and rope in a bag carried by Sandeep, Sharma said.The accused allegedly taped Neetu’s mouth, tied her hands with rope and strangled her to death, he added. Further questioning is underway.Police said Anuj is a native of Saloni village in Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur district and currently resides in Roorkee, Haridwar. Avnish is a resident of Khatka village in Roorkee, Haridwar.(With Agency Inputs)
