New Delhi: Police on Tuesday claimed to have solved the murder of a 24-year-old man found dead in a home in Mussoorie a few days ago, by arresting a siblings from Haridwar in Delhi.

A senior police officer involved in the investigation said the victim, Kapil Choudhary, was in a relationship with Kudrat Bashar, 20, a resident of Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh, for two years. However, a few weeks ago, Kapil told Kudrat that he could not marry her because she followed a different faith.

The police officer said Kudrat, who had his name tattooed on her wrist, tried to persuade him by saying she would handle things at home, but he did not relent. Angry and upset, she broke the news to her brother, 18-year-old Abdullah.

They persuaded Kapil to go to Mussoorie, where they booked a room at a homestay. In the early morning of September 10, while Kapil was sleeping, Abdullah slit his throat and hid his body under the bed before fleeing with Kudrat in Kapil’s car.

They were later arrested by the police based on CCTV footage and other information the police recieved. SSP (Dehradun), Daleep Singh Kunwar said, “Kapil, a resident of Roorkee and son of a UP police sub-inspector, was working as a driver while Kudrat worked in a women’s garment factory in Shaheen Bagh. About two years ago, the two met at a shop in Karol Bagh, Delhi. They exchanged contact details and began to develop feelings for each other, after which Kapil often traveled to Delhi to meet her. Things got worse when a few weeks ago, Kapil told Kudrat that he “couldn’t marry her”.

SSP added: “After she informed her brother, he was furious at the betrayal. Soon they were plotting to kill him. The two arrested men confessed their crimes during interrogation. They were brought before a local court and sent to prison. Police also recovered the kitchen knife used in the murder.”