In a dramatic turn of events, the prime accused in the murder of jeweller Yogesh Chaudhary was shot dead in a police encounter on Tuesday, just four days after the tragic robbery. Aman Kumar (23), the primary suspect in the murder, was killed during an operation in Agra’s Sikandra area, where police had taken him to recover the stolen jewellery.
The police encounter occurred when Aman Kumar allegedly snatched an officer’s weapon and tried to fire at the police. Despite being asked to surrender, he attempted to shoot at the officers, prompting them to open fire in self-defense. He was taken to the hospital but was declared dead shortly after.
Meanwhile, Sumit Kumar, Aman’s 18-year-old brother, has been arrested. Sumit had recently appeared for his Class 12 exams and reportedly told police that the family was under severe financial stress, with debts exceeding Rs 5 lakh. The brothers were allegedly planning to sell their house for Rs 3 lakh to repay the loans, which led them to commit the robbery.
The third suspect, Farukh Khan, is still at large, and the police have announced a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to his arrest.
The robbery on May 2, which resulted in the murder of Yogesh Chaudhary, occurred when the trio entered his Balaji Jewellers showroom. After holding a salesgirl at gunpoint, they encountered Chaudhary outside the shop, and when he tried to stop them, they shot him dead. The suspects made off with gold and silver jewellery.
Police Commissioner Deepak Kumar confirmed that the National Human Rights Commission has been informed, and a magisterial inquiry is underway as per protocol. Investigators have also recovered the stolen items, including the gold jewellery, the motorcycle, and the illegal weapon used in the crime.
An FIR has been registered against the accused under various sections of the IPC, including murder, robbery, and possession of stolen property, with further investigation ongoing.
