A month-long Google search trail on cyanide, its use and methods of administration recovered from the prime accused’s mobile phone became the key breakthrough in unraveling a case of premeditated murder allegedly triggered by years of domestic abuse and molestation in Uttar Pradesh’s Meerut district. Police said on Monday that three people, including the sister of one of the victims, have been arrested in the case.
According to police, three men — a 60-year-old grocery shop owner, his 35-year-old employee and their 40-year-old friend —received a tetra pack of country-made liquor from one of the accused, who was an acquaintance, on the evening of April 3 and began drinking at a spot in Daurala. However, soon after, they began vomiting and complained of abdominal pain. They were rushed to a hospital where two were declared dead, while the 60-year-old died during treatment.
Senior superintendent of police Avinash Pandey said the deaths had initially triggered fears of a hooch tragedy, but suspicion deepened after no other consumers who bought liquor from the same government outlet reported illness. The investigators found that the specific liquor batch had been distributed widely without other issues, narrowing the focus to a targeted poisoning.
Besides, preliminary examination of the accused’s mobile phone revealed sustained online searches over several weeks relating to cyanide, its procurement, fatality levels and possible methods of administration, providing critical evidence of planning and conspiracy.
“The search history clearly showed sustained online research about cyanide, its procurement and use. This became a crucial breakthrough in the case,” a police officer associated with the probe said.
According to police, the alleged conspiracy was hatched by the 40-year-old man’s sister, her boyfriend, and a local goldsmith.
“The motive stemmed from prolonged domestic abuse and the victim’s opposition to his sister’s relationship with the accused,” said an officer aware of the matter.
Investigators further alleged that the 40-year-old man frequently assaulted his sister after consuming alcohol and had recently molested her in an inebriated condition, following which she confided in her boyfriend.
“The accused then approached the goldsmith who supplied cyanide — a chemical was commonly used in cleaning jewellery — for ₹500,” said an official involved in the probe.
As part of this plan, the accused mixed the poisonous chemical into a pouch of liquor, resealed it, and handed it over to the 40-year-old man.
Based on the revelations, police arrested all three accused, including the sister of one of the deceased, on Sunday and booked them on charges of murder by use of poison and criminal conspiracy.
Police said the post-mortem examination confirmed cyanide poisoning, prompting a homicide probe, while further forensic examination of the mobile phone, search logs, chemical traces and call detail records is underway.
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