Lucknow Police successfully solved the murder case of cab driver Sarvesh Yadav (35) by tracking his stolen mobile phone, leading to the arrest of three suspects. The accused—Saurabh Yadav alias Shera (25), Vijay Yadav (22), and Akhil Yadav, all residents of Kanchanpur Matiyari, Lucknow—have been detained. A fourth suspect, Arvind Singh alias Kalu from Sitapur, remains at large.
The arrests followed a coordinated operation by Malihabad police, the crime branch, and the surveillance team under DCP (North).
Investigations revealed that Sarvesh had given a ride on August 20 to four youths from Hazratganj to Indira Dam. When he failed to return, his father filed a missing person complaint on August 21.
According to Additional DCP North Zone Amol Murkut, the suspects shot Sarvesh with a country-made pistol, robbed him of cash and his mobile phone, and, accompanied by an associate on a motorcycle, abandoned his body in bushes near Kisan Path, Barabanki.
The gang had believed that stealing Sarvesh’s mobile phone would cover their tracks. However, the police traced the phone’s IMEI number, supported by CCTV footage and technical analysis. The trail led to the first user of the phone and through a series of transfers, back to Saurabh Yadav and his network.
Upon interrogation, Saurabh confessed that the crime began as a robbery, but turned deadly after Sarvesh insulted Saurabh’s mother. The police recovered the pistol, cartridges, and Sarvesh’s mobile from Saurabh’s home. Sarvesh’s skeletal remains, identified by his clothes and sacred thread, were recovered from the bushes based on the accused’s directions.
The missing person case has now been classified as a murder investigation. The arrested trio has been sent to court while efforts continue to apprehend the remaining suspect.
