Rs 60 lakh land dispute leads to property dealer’s contract killing; rival realtor arrested

Lucknow: A dispute over a one-bigha plot worth around Rs 60 lakh in Kakori allegedly culminated in the contract killing of property dealer Sandeep Singh, 35, with Lucknow Police arresting rival realtor Dinesh Yadav and his driver Mubeen for allegedly conspiring to eliminate him.The arrests came four days after Sandeep was gunned down in broad daylight in the PGI area on May 27. CCTV footage of the incident showed two masked assailants opening fire on the property dealer before fleeing.According to police, the murder was rooted in a long-standing rivalry between Sandeep and Dinesh over a one-bigha parcel of land in Samda village in Kakori. Police said Dinesh was interested in acquiring the plot, but Sandeep sold it to another buyer before any deal could materialise.Police sources said Dinesh allegedly threatened the purchaser, prompting Sandeep to lodge an FIR against him. Since then, the dispute continued to simmer, eventually leading to a criminal conspiracy.During interrogation, police alleged that Dinesh, who projected himself as a vice-president of Samajwadi Lohia Vahini, decided to eliminate Sandeep after failing to gain control of the disputed property. Investigators claim he, along with his driver Mubeen, hired contract killers to carry out the murder.The probe revealed that the shooters conducted reconnaissance of Sandeep’s movements on at least three occasions before executing the attack. They allegedly tracked his daily routine, identified vulnerable locations and planned escape routes to ensure a swift execution.Police suspect the shooters were brought from the Mumbai region and were promised around Rs 10 lakh for the killing. Teams are currently conducting raids to arrest the two shooters and another associate who allegedly helped facilitate the conspiracy.A second-hand motorcycle with a faulty number plate was allegedly arranged by the assailants.On Monday, police seized four vehicles allegedly linked to the conspiracy, including a Mercedes and a Toyota Fortuner. Officials said the vehicles were used at different stages of planning and execution of the crime.Police are now examining land records and financial transactions related to the disputed plot.