Ranchi: The Jharkhand Police claimed to have solved a shocking double murder case as they revealed a meticulously planned crime allegedly committed with a stolen AK-47 rifle from the Indian Army’s camp in Jammu and Kashmir. The prime accused, a soldier of the 47 RR Battalion, used the weapon to kill two men over a land dispute, the police alleged.
The incident took place on the night of February 4 in Nagri, where victims Budhram and Manoj—uncle and nephew—were shot dead. Ranchi SSP Chandan Kumar Sinha led the investigation, which resulted in the arrest of the accused, Army soldier Manohar Toppo, and his accomplice, Sunil Kachhap.
'Six-Month Murder Planning'
According to police, Toppo had plotted the murder since 2024, when he stole an AK-47 rifle from a fellow soldier, Naik Rakesh Kumar, at an Army camp in north Kashmir’s border district of Kupwara.
Police further said that he summoned Sunil to the bus stand of Jammu, the winter capital of J&K, where he handed him the stolen weapon. Sunil smuggled the rifle to Ranchi via Delhi, Patna, and Muzaffarpur, hiding it at his home, police added.
On January 13, Toppo took a month-long leave and began tracking Budhram. On February 4, he and four accomplices ambushed Budhram, firing multiple rounds at him, and Manoj tried to intervene; he too was gunned down. Police registered a case and initiated an investigation.
Weapon Recovered from Forest
Engaged in solving the double murder case, the police found crucial evidence from the crime scene that demonstrated Manohar’s involvement. Manohar and his companions had buried the AK-47 rifle underground in Itki’s dense forest after carrying out the crime to evade detection. Following his arrest, Manohar disclosed the location, and police recovered the weapon, police said.
Both the accused are in custody as further investigations continue.
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