Cop dumps wife's lover body; links killing with Haldwani riots death

A horrific incident has been reported from Uttarakhand's Halwani, where a 25-year-old man who had been named as a victim of the Haldwani riots on February 8 had been slain by a police officer. According to the sources, Constable Birendra Singh is said to have killed the man, who has been identified as Prakash Kumar, who was from Sinha village in the Barhara block of the Bhojpur district in Bihar. Singh got to know that Kumar was having an extramarital affair with his wife and was using a video they had taken together as blackmail.

SSP Nainital According to Prahlad Meena, Singh and four accomplices including the police officer's brother-in-law and wife planned Kumar's murder. The investigation produced the revelation when Kumar's records from the cell phone that was taken from his body were examined closely.

Thereafter, Singh disposed of Kumar's body in the Banphoolpura area, relating the incident to Haldwani riots. The investigation in the case is on.

Meanwhile, the curfew in Banbhoolpura area has been relaxed by the authorities, which was imposed following violence, that broke out on February 8 after an "illegal structure" was demolished as part of an anti-encroachment drive.

"However, night curfew will continue from 8pm to 6am in Gaujajali, FSI, Godown area. The night curfew will continue in the rest of the areas under Banbhoolpura police station from 5pm to 6am," Nanital Police posted on X.

The curfew was imposed in the area keep the law-and-order in mind after stone-pelting incidents, torching of vehicles and a mob surrounded the local police station following the anti-encroachment drive. Police has arrested 30 people in connection with the riots so far.