Murder-for-hire gone wrong: Hitmen kill wrong target in Lucknow

Uttar Pradesh: The Lucknow police found that the killing of taxi driver Mohammad Rizwan on December 30 was part of a cold-blooded conspiracy due to mistaken identity. The lawyer, Aaftab Ahmed, allegedly hired hitmen to kill a woman and her family, but they fatally shot the wrong person. Three people have been arrested for the crime, including Ahmed, according to India Today.

The Lawyer's motive behind the murder plot

The police investigation found that Aaftab Ahmed planned to kill a woman's husband and father, allegedly due to his relationship with her. Police claim that Ahmed paid ₹2 lakh to the gang and provided them with an advance payment to kill his victims. However, confusion among the hired killers resulted in Rizwan's killing in the Madehganj area of Lucknow.

Details of the execution and botched plan

Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Raveena Tyagi said, "The accused had come to Madehganj on December 30 to commit the murder but had killed the wrong person. The weapon, the bike used in the crime, and the phones of the accused have been seized.

The lawyer had contacted a gang member who, in turn, hired two others—Yasir and Krishnakant—to execute the plan. A mix-up resulted in the duo killing Rizwan instead of their intended targets. This failure reportedly caused friction between the gang and Ahmed, who then refused to pay the remaining amount. Police seized an illegal firearm, 14 live cartridges, three mobile phones, and a motorcycle used in the crime.

Independent murders in Lucknow

The police arrest Mohammad Arshad for supposedly killing his mother and four sister in a room in a city-based hotel. Incarcerated as a judicial detainee, the suspect Arshad said it was his father Mohammad Badr, who according to him helped him in his heinous plan. The officers are searching the place with a four-member group trying to corner him.