New Delhi: Javed, co-accused in the Budaun double murders, has been arrested by the police in Uttar Pradesh.
“He surrendered in Bareilly. A reward of Rs 25,000 was announced for information on Javed. He had made a video of himself and made it viral. He had gone from Budaun to Delhi and then due to pressure built on him and the massive manhunts, he was forced to surrender. He has been arrested and interrogation is on,” Inspector General of Police, Bareilly, Rakesh Singh told ThePrint.
Javed was on the run after his brother and main accused Sajid killed siblings Ayush and Ahaan Pratap, aged 13 and 6, at their home in Budaun on Tuesday evening. Sajid was later gunned down in an encounter. While the murders were done with a knife, police claimed that Sajid had a ‘katta’ (country-made pistol) and he fired at the police.
Javed had released the video claiming that he was not present at the spot when the murders took place.
“I came to Buduan, but there were a lot of people. I then came to Bareilly to surrender. I had gone to Delhi. I received phone calls from people on what my brother had done,” Javed is heard saying in a video clip.
'I ran straight to Delhi and from there I have to come to Bareilly to surrender. I have received phone calls from people about what my brother did': Second accused in Budaun Double Murder casehttps://t.co/h5WC9puxe5
— ThePrintIndia (@ThePrintIndia) March 21, 2024
Initially, only Sajid’s name had emerged in the case. However, an FIR was lodged on the basis of a complaint by Vinod Kumar, the father of the two victims, who named Sajid and Javed as the killers. Another child, Piyush, had somehow managed to escape with injuries.
The two accused ran a barber shop, some 5 m from Kumar’s house in Budaun.
According to the FIR, Sajid had come to the house around 6:35 Tuesday evening asking for Rs 5,000 for bearing the expenses of his pregnant wife.
However, Sajid’s family members have told ThePrint that the wife, Sana, isn’t pregnant and had suffered four miscarriages in the last four years.
Sajid had told Piyush to get him medicine and sent Ayush to get him water. Sangita then went inside to get Rs 5,000 when Sajid took Ahan to the terrace and called Javed inside the house, according to the FIR.
The duo then allegedly killed the two minors and walked downstairs. Sajid is said to have told the mother Sangita Devi that “today his work is done”.
The police had said that the motive seems to be personal rivalry, but the bereaved family says that they had no enmity with Sajid and Javed.
On Wednesday, blood stains could be seen on the terrace where the two minors were killed. Angry local residents had vandalised the salon and set ablaze equipment after they learnt about the killings.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Also Read: Bloody terrace, four miscarriages & an ‘encounter’ — untangling Budaun double murders