A 45-year-old man accused of murder killed a man having a physique similar to his, disfigured the body and left his identity card to fake his own death.
The plot, however, failed, when police arrested the man, identified as Firoz Ahmad, following a shootout in India's Uttar Pradesh. Ahmad sustained injuries in the shootout.
Firoz Looked for a Man with a Similar Physique
According to police officer Saurabh Dixit, "Firoz had executed his first crime at the age of 19. Since then he has been involved in many cases. After being fed up with police raids, Firoz got clues from popular crime and thriller TV serials during his stay in Naini jail and hatched a conspiracy to get rid of people who loaned him Rs 4 lakh to pursue legal battle and police actions."
After being bailed out about two months back in connection with a case, Firoz started looking for a man of same physique and came in contact with a youth from Buxar in Bihar.
Firoz managed to win the trust of Suraj Gupta, an electrician by profession, and assured him of help in securing a job. He advised him to stay in the city.Firoz then invited Gupta for drinks and dinner at a local eatery on October 17 near Mardapur village.
Firoz Beheaded Victim, Burned His Body and Planted His ID on Him
Along with his two aides, they strangled Gupta to death and also beheaded him. They chopped off deceased's private parts and set the body afire to conceal the identity. Firoz also left his driving licence near the half-burnt body to make it look like his own death.
He thought that with Gupta's death, the police would close all cases against him. Dixit said Firoz had also told his wife to create a dramatic scene upon hearing of his purported death. However, during the investigation, the police found some contact numbers from the pocket of the body.
When police contacted these numbers, they realized that the deceased was Suraj Gupta of Bihar. His family confirmed his identity.
Firoz's wife and friends later confessed to the crime. He was later tracked down and arrested. The accused had shaved off his head and beard to conceal his identity.
