Kanpur Businessman Stabbed 26 Times; Daughter-in-Law Arrested
A 63-year-old Kanpur businessman was stabbed 26 times at home; police say his daughter-in-law orchestrated the killing and guided the attackers by phone while at a party.
A weekend party at a Kanpur lounge and a brutal murder at a businessman's home have converged in a single police investigation, with the victim's daughter-in-law emerging as the alleged mastermind.
Vineet Minocha, 63, was stabbed 26 times at his residence in Kanpur. The police say the killing was carried out by Vishal, a former house help of the family, and his associate Raj Kishore. Both were arrested after an encounter and were the first suspects taken into custody.
According to the police, the plot was coordinated by Shalu Minocha, the victim's daughter-in-law. On the evening of the murder, she was at a lounge with friends, dancing as the DJ played Hindi songs. Investigators allege that she remained in constant phone contact with the attackers, guiding them through the crime even as she appeared to be celebrating.
The police suspect the party was a deliberate cover to distance herself from the conspiracy. They are now examining CCTV footage from the venue, the timeline of her outing, call detail records and conversations among the suspects.
Shalu, 36, was taken into custody and initially denied involvement before admitting to her role, the police said. She allegedly told investigators that she was driven by resentment over restrictions on late-night parties and what she described as constant surveillance. She claimed her father-in-law monitored the house through CCTV cameras and objected to her going out or returning late, and that she had little control over household spending despite the family's wealth.
Investigators have traced a turning point to July 28, when Shalu returned home late and argued with Vineet. She allegedly offered Vishal Rs 6 lakh to carry out the killing, paying Rs 2 lakh on a Sunday and promising the remainder after 15 days. She also allegedly provided a duplicate key to the house.
On the Friday before the murder, she is said to have called Vishal home under a pretext and finalised the contract. The next day, after she and her husband left for the party with their child, Vishal and Kishore reached the house. Shalu allegedly helped them enter by telling the guard they had come to deliver medicines.
The original plan, according to the police, was to suffocate the elderly man and make it appear a heart attack. Instead, the attackers used a knife and fled the apartment. Shalu and her husband returned around 3 am and found Vineet lying in a pool of blood in the bedroom.