Police have arrested four individuals in connection with the murder of 18-year-old Dalit youth, Ketan Lal, in Tehri Garhwal district. The arrests were made after investigators gathered forensic evidence and recorded statements from witnesses, Tehri Garhwal Superintendent of Police Shweta Chaubey said on Thursday.
According to the Superintendent of Police, police received information about the incident at Lambgaon Police Station on June 8. Following a complaint filed by the victim's father, a case was registered and an investigation was launched. Considering the seriousness of the case, the probe was handed over to a Circle Officer-rank official.
During the investigation, police collected evidence from the crime scene and questioned local residents. Based on the findings and names mentioned in the complaint, two accused — Yashveer and Vidya Singh Panwar — were arrested. Both were produced before a court and sent to judicial custody.
Police later recorded more witness statements and carried out a detailed forensic examination of the scene. The post-mortem examination was conducted by a panel of three doctors, and the entire process was videographed.
The Superintendent of Police said based on the statement of a key witness, two more accused — Sumit Prasad Gaur and Sachin Panwar — were arrested on Thursday. They were also produced before the court. With these arrests, the total number of accused held in the case has risen to four.
Meanwhile, the victim's family alleged that Ketan Lal was targeted because of his friendship with a minor girl from an upper-caste family. They claimed he was assaulted and suffered serious injuries, which later led to his death during treatment.
Police said the investigation is still underway and more evidence is being collected. Further legal action will be taken based on the findings.
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