‘Drug peddlers’ held for killing constable, friend over dispute

The dead have been identified as Sarvesh Kumar Pandey, a police constable in his early 40s posted in Mau who was facing departmental inquiry, and Anupam Srivastava alias Anu (35), who had been dismissed from the service a year ago.

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While Pandey was a resident of Allahabad, Srivastava lived in Pratapgarh.

Their bodies, Pratapgarh SP Balikaran Singh, said were identified by Pandey’s wife who had Saturday informed police that her husband had gone missing.

The police have recovered the weapon with which Shailendra reportedly shot the two and Daroga’s car which was used in disposing of the bodies.

According to the police, constable Pandey had reportedly helped one of the accused (Shailendra) join the business of dealing in smack.

On Thursday, Pandey and Anu had together reached Shailendra’s house around 9 pm. “A fight broke out between Pandey and Shailendra while Anu tried to flee. Daroga and Rajesh, who too were present, joined in beating up the victims. A while later, Shailendra took out his .315-bore pistol and shot the two from close range in their heads,” said Inspector (Kotwali) Baliram Mishra.

“The accused then put the bodies in Daroga’s car and drove up to Devaini village in Allahabad. They had also carried their personal belongings which they threw at another place on the way. Those, too, have been recovered,” Mishra added.

The police have not ruled out the possibility of Shailendra having some monetary disputes with Pandey. Srivastava, who had got the job on compassionate grounds following the death of his father, was also used to taking drugs.