'Save family's honor': UP teen takes cousin's help, kills mother's live-in partner, dumps body to seek revenge

In a shocking incident, two teenagers, aged 16 and 17, were apprehended by the police on Saturday for the brutal murder of a 38-year-old farmer, Lokesh Gangwar, in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. The crime reportedly stemmed from a personal vendetta linked to the victim's relationship with the mother of one of the accused.

According to police reports, the mother of the 16-year-old had begun living with Lokesh, a decision that infuriated her son. Driven by anger and a sense of "family honor," the boy conspired with his 17-year-old cousin to avenge what they perceived as a betrayal.

SP (City) Manush Pareek revealed chilling details of the crime, stating, "Lokesh was found dead in a farm, and an FIR was registered. The woman's minor son and his cousin were deeply upset by this step and took revenge. They strangled Lokesh with a belt."

The police investigation uncovered the belt used in the crime, along with the motorcycle that facilitated the heinous act. Additional evidence, including Lokesh's mobile phone and sandals, was recovered from the accused.

"The accused later confessed, and we recovered the belt and bike used in the crime. Lokesh's phone and his pair of sandals were also recovered from them. The accused have been booked under the IPC sections of murder and for hiding evidence and sent to a juvenile home," added Pareek.

The horrifying sequence of events unfolded on the evening of January 21. The teenagers set out on a motorcycle to locate Lokesh near the Delhi highway. They found him intoxicated, walking home. They questioned him about his mother’s whereabouts. When Lokesh mentioned she was in Maheshpur, they offered him a ride.

The ride turned fatal as they strangled him with a belt and abandoned his lifeless body in a farm. His corpse was discovered the next morning, sparking the police investigation.

Further inquiries revealed Lokesh had previously been charged in 2021 for the rape of a minor girl and was out on bail at the time of his murder. During this period, he reportedly developed a relationship with the accused boy’s mother.

Also read: PM Modi dons yellow-red striped Safa & brown jacket for Republic Day: Decoding his parade look over the years