2 get life term for kidnapping & murder of 19yo in 2021

Agra: An Aligarh court sentenced two men to life imprisonment for abducting and killing a 19-year-old student in 2021 over a financial dispute. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 45,000 each on the convicts.ADGC Tarun Kumar Verma said on Thursday, “The court of additional district and sessions judge Ravish Kumar Atri convicted Yogendra and Pradeep for kidnapping, murder, destruction of evidence and criminal conspiracy in the killing of Hrithik, a resident of Laxmipur under Bannadevi police station limits.”As per the prosecution, Hrithik disappeared from his home on July 15, 2021. Nearly two weeks later, his family received a ransom call demanding Rs 10 lakh, prompting police to intensify the investigation.Investigators uncovered a long-standing dispute between Hrithik’s father, Kishan and their neighbour Yogendra’s family over an unpaid loan of Rs 1 lakh. Police alleged that Yogendra, Pradeep and a minor accomplice plotted the crime and later demanded ransom to divert suspicion.A case under sections 302 (murder), 364-A (kidnapping), 201 (destruction of evidence) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC was registered against the accused.The breakthrough came after police traced the ransom call to the minor accused. During questioning, he disclosed the involvement of the two men, leading to their arrest.Based on information gathered during the investigation, police recovered Hrithik’s body on July 29 from a drain near a private school. The body had been stuffed into a plastic sack and discarded among garbage.“After examining the evidence, the court found both accused guilty and awarded life imprisonment,” Verma said, adding that proceedings against the minor are continuing before a separate court.