Yearender 2023: Taking the life of a human being is considered the most heinous crime as per the law. However, there are individuals in society who commit such acts. In India, there have been numerous instances of murder that have left the entire nation in shock this year. Even in the year 2023, India witnessed such alarming murders that deeply affected the populace. Here, we will explore some of the infamous murder cases of this year.
Here's a list of murders that shook the nation
Umesh Pal murder case:
Lawyer Umesh Pal, a key witness in the 2005 BSP MLA Raju Pal murder case, along with his two bodyguards was allegedly gunned down outside his residence by gangster Atiq Ahmed’s shooters on February 24, 2023. Umesh Pal was shot dead in the Sulem Sarai area of the city under Dhoomanganj Police Station of Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. The killing of Umesh Pal was one of the most sensational murder cases of the year 2023. The murder of Umesh Pal not only dominated the headlines but also rekindled public attention on gang wars in Uttar Pradesh. CCTV footage of the incident was also made public, clearly showing that upon reaching his house, Umesh Pal was attacked with both bullets and bombs. A new CCTV video footage from Prayagraj showed how Umesh Pal was shot multiple times. A bomb was also hurled by Atiq Ahmed's aide Guddu Muslim. Some of the accused criminals related to this heinous murder case have been arrested by the police, while some criminals have been encountered, while some criminals are absconding.
Atiq Ahmed and Ashraf Ahmed murder case:
Jailed gangster Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot dead at point-blank range by two assailants posing as TV reporters in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. Atiq and Ashraf, who were called the mafia of Purvanchal, were killed in Prayagraj on April 15, 2023, when both of them were being taken to the hospital for a medical checkup in police custody. Atiq and Ashraf, who were in tight security, were walking towards the Motilal Nehru Hospital around 10.35 pm with over a dozen police officers and jawans around them when news channel crews tried to intercept them with questions. Atiq and Ashraf had barely started to speak when a youth, who was walking along with the mediapersons, took out a pistol and fired a shot. In this firing, mafia Atiq and his brother Ashraf died on the spot. The police have arrested the three accused of this murder on the spot. Many criminal cases were registered against Atiq and his brother. Atiq Ahmed had also been an MLA and MP.
Nikki Yadav murder case:
23-year-old Nikki Yadav, a student of Delhi, was killed by her own boyfriend and her body was kept in a fridge in his restaurant in southwest Delhi. On February 9, 2023, Nikki Yadav was strangled to death by her live-in partner Sahil Gehlot after he spurned her and married someone else. After that, Sahil Gehlot kept the victim's body in the refrigerator in a dhaba in Mitraon village and then he went home for his wedding. The gruesome murder which shook the conscience nation, was discovered four days later, on February 14, after a neighbor reported Nikki Yadav missing and the police tracked down her partner.
During earlier interrogations, Sahil had told police he and Nikki used to live together. However, later it was revealed that the two had got married in 2020. Sahil and Nikki had known each other since 2018. They fell in love, subsequently enrolled in the same university, and eventually started living together. Neither Sahil nor Nikki had informed their families about their relationship. However, when Sahil's family discovered his impending marriage, they began pressuring him to marry elsewhere. Upon learning about Nikki, they expressed dissatisfaction with Sahil's choice and insisted that he end his relationship with her. Sahil Gehlot's family members and friends were involved in plotting the murder.
Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi murder case:
Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena President Sukhdev Singh Gogamedi was shot dead in the living room of his house on December 5 in Jaipur, Rajasthan. Gangster Rohit Godara, associated with the Lawrence Bishnoi gang, claimed responsibility for Gogamedi's murder. Later, CCTV footage of the incident emerged, showing two men firing multiple rounds at the Rashtriya Rajput Karni Sena chief. Prior to the murder, the accused were sitting with Gogamedi. The footage showed two men firing multiple shots at the Karni Sena chief, with another man standing at the door. Gogamedi was seen collapsing on the floor from the gunshot injuries and was immediately taken to the hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead. Following the incident, the perpetrators fled the scene, triggering nationwide protests. However, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police later apprehended both shooters, Rohit and Nitin Fauji, along with Udham, the individual who provided them shelter, at a hotel in Sector-22, Chandigarh.
Shahbad Dairy murder case:
20-year-old Sahil Khan stabbed his 16-year-old girlfriend and crushed with a rock in a cold-blooded murder. This attack was witnessed by dozens of passersby who passed by the street while the accused killed the girl. The chilling murder of a minor girl in Delhi's Shahbad Dairy area had shaken the entire country and this incident had put the entire humanity to shame. The horrifying murder was caught on a CCTV camera and the footage showed the man thrusting a knife into the girl no less than 20 times as scores of people passed by but none intervened to save her. She had 34 injury marks on her body and her skull was smashed. Police said the investigation revealed that the accused and the victim were in a relationship but they often quarrelled. Both had a fight on May 27, following which Sahil decided to take revenge and murdered her brutally the next day. Sakshi had rebuffed him in front of her friends and refused to mend their relationship.
Deoria massacre:
The Deoria massacre stands out among the major incidents of this year. The brutal killing of six individuals, including five members of the same family in the Deoria district of Uttar Pradesh, sent shockwaves throughout the entire country, reigniting longstanding hostilities over land disputes. The incident occurred in the Fatehpur village under Rudrapur police station limits in the Deoria district, where the two groups allegedly fired at each other during a clash over a long-standing land dispute. The entire area was in a state of turmoil following this horrifying event. The incident was a fallout of the old rivalry going on between the two families over the land dispute.
Jaipur-Mumbai train firing:
One of the notable murder incidents this year involved a shooting incident by a Railway Protection Force (RPF) jawan aboard the Jaipur-Mumbai Express train. On the morning of July 31, an RPF constable jawan shot dead four people on board a train from Jaipur to Mumbai. The constable fired 12 rounds, leading to the unfortunate demise of four individuals, including a RPF Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) and three passengers. The incident happened around 5 am between Vapi and Borivali stations on B5 coach of Jaipur Express. Constable Chetan Singh, who was short-tempered, fired at three places in the train– one was B5 coach where two victims were shot dead, one dead in the pantry while one was shot dead in S6 coach. After the killings, the accused pulled the chain, jumped off the train near Dahisar station and tried to flee but was arrested. However, he was arrested by the Government Railway Police (GRP).
Sanjeev Jeeva murder case:
Jailed gangster Sanjeev Maheshwari Jeeva was shot dead inside Lucknow civil court on June 7. Jeeva was an associate of don-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari. He was shot multiple times in the courtroom. The assailant, who was dressed as a lawyer, was caught on the spot and was identified as Vijay Yadav. He was rushed to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Jeeva was accused in the killing of Brahm Dutt Dwivedi, former Uttar Pradesh cabinet minister, and a senior leader of the BJP. Dwivedi was shot dead in Farrukhabad district in February 1997. Hailing from Muzaffarnagar, Jeeva had 24 criminal cases registered against him, including five of murder. In 2003, he was awarded a life sentence by the high court for Dwivedi’s murder and was lodged in Lucknow jail.
Murder for Rs 350:
In a spine-chilling incident, a 17-year-old boy was stabbed to death by a minor in Janta Mazdoor colony in the Welcome area of the neighborhood in northeast Delhi for a mere Rs 350 to eat biryani. According to police, the reason behind murder the murder was said to be robbery. The entire maniac kind of killing was recorded on CCTV. The accused first choked the 17-year-old victim. When the victim fell unconscious, the accused dragged him to a narrow bylane and mercilessly stabbed him over 100 times. He also kicked the victim's head. The accused, who was in an inebriated condition, was also seen dancing next to the body. He then stole Rs 350 after committing the crime. Subsequently, he removed the blood-soaked body from the frame.
Shopkeeper shot dead in Bhatinda:
A shopkeeper in Punjab's Bhatinda was gunned down outside his shop by two unidentified persons in broad daylight on October 28. The incident was caught on camera and went viral on social media. The video shows shopkeeper Harjinder Singh Johal sitting in a chair outside his shop 'Amritsari Kulcha' when two men arrive on a motorcycle. One of them fired several rounds on Johal. Both the miscreants had their faces covered with masks. After firing about six rounds, both the miscreants fled on the bike. The victim was seriously injured and was taken to a government hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Also Read: Yearender 2023: Recalling tragic accidents that claimed precious lives in 2023
