In what initially appeared to be a missing person case has transformed into a murder investigation at the Chikhali Police Station as it was revealed that the victim who was a scrap dealer was brutally murdered with hammer by his own friend and an accomplice.
As per the information shared by the Chikhali Police, Siraj Abul Hasan Khan, a scrap business owner, was reported missing on September 28, by his cousin, Mijaz Ahmad Abdul Hasan Khan.
Chikhali police promptly initiated an investigation, led by Senior Police Officer Dnyaneshwar Katkar. The next day, the police began gathering information about Siraj's disappearance. They questioned his close friends and reviewed CCTV footage from the area.
Victim was last seen with a friend in CCTV
The investigation took a chilling turn when it was discovered that on September 28, 2023, Siraj was last seen traveling to Moshi on a two-wheeler with his friend Saifuddin Khan from Kudalwadi area. Under suspicion, Chikhali police detained Saifuddin Khan and subjected him to interrogation, leading to his confession.
Saifuddin Khan admitted to the crime, revealing that a dispute had arisen between him and Siraj over the company's scraps approximately a month and a half ago. Siraj had sent him to intimidate the people in the Kudalwadi area. Feeling his life was in danger, Saifuddin Khan enlisted the help of an acquaintance, Mohammad Anira, who resides in Mumbai.
Murder with hammer
On the fateful evening of September 28, 2023, Siraj arrived on a motorcycle, ostensibly to forcibly obtain scrap from Kudalwadi. Saifuddin Khan and Mohammad Anira then took Siraj to a forested area, where they brutally murdered him with a hammer. They confessed to disposing of his body in the forest.
A police team, accompanied by the complainant, ventured into the forest area, which is within military jurisdiction, and after a four-hour search, located the crime scene. Due to continuous rain and swampy conditions, the body had decomposed significantly, emitting a foul odor. The complainant positively identified the body as that of Siraj based on his clothing and appearance.
Chikhali police then registered a murder case against Saifuddin Khan and Mohammad Anis. Had Mohammad not been apprehended promptly, he was reportedly planning to flee to Uttar Pradesh.
