Teen murders neighbour to fund sister's wedding

With his sister's wedding less than three weeks away and resources at a premium, 19-year-old Mohan Sharma snapped. The accused acknowledged yesterday before the police that he and an aide murdered Lokesh Upadhyay (24), whose body was found near Dahisar check naka on April 10. Sharma and the victim lived in the same locality. Cops say the accused's sister was to get married in Bihar on April 29, and the family had asked him to arrange Rs 50,000.

Mohan Sharma (19) in police custody for murdering Lokesh Upadhyay (24), whose body was found near Dahisar check naka on April 10

Deputy commissioner of police (detection) Ambadas Pote said, "A missing complaint was lodged with Dahisar police by Upadhyay's sister. We learnt that Sharma had been asking people in the locality to lend him money. We then took him into custody and started questioning him." Cops have also recovered two beer bottles from the jungle where the victim was murdered on April 9. According to the police officials, Sharma and his associate Anshu Mishra (25) hit Upadhyay on his face with a rock after which he died.

Pote added, "We started enquiring at wines shops in the area on finding the beer bottles. After Sharma confessed to his crime, we learnt that the duo had realised that Upadhyay was a heavy drinker. They took him to a secluded spot a kilometre away from Dahisar check naka and, after getting Upadhyay drunk, murdered him."

According to police officials, the victim was fond of wearing gold he usually had on a bracelet, chain, and rings in almost every finger at all times. All these items were found missing from the body. "We have now handed over the case to Dahisar police who will be interrogating Sharma. Anshu Mishra is still absconding and is believed to be somewhere in Bihar," said Pote. The two accused have been booked under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code, while none of the stolen articles have been recovered.u00a0