Pune: In a shocking incident, a brother, enraged by his sister's interfaith marriage, murdered her husband with the help of relatives. The crime took place three weeks ago on June 15, with the body being burned and the remains disposed of in a river to destroy evidence.

The Pimpri-Chinchwad police have cracked the case, which occurred in the industrial area of Bhosari, Moshi, leading to the arrest of three suspects.

The victim, identified as Amir Mohammad Sheikh (25) from Randhe, Parner, was killed by Pankaj Vishwanath Paikrao, Ganesh Dinesh Gaikwad, Sushant Gopal Gaikwad, and Sunil Kisan Chakranarayan. Charges have been filed under IPC sections 364 (kidnapping), 302 (murder), 201 (causing destruction of evidence), 120b (criminal conspiracy), and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention).

Three suspects, Paikrao, Sushant Gaikwad, and Chakranarayan, are in custody, while Ganesh Gaikwad remains at large, according to the police.

Amir Sheikh and a neighboring girl had married interfaith four months ago in Alandi and were living in Moshi. On June 15, motivated by anger over the marriage, the accused invited Amir for drinks and kidnapped him from Adarsh Nagar, Moshi. They strangled him, burned the body at a secluded spot on the Alandi-Chakan road, and disposed of the remains in a river.

Amir's wife reported him missing to Bhosari MIDC Police Station, and suspicions of foul play by his relatives prompted the police investigation, leading to the arrests.

Amir and the girl had been in a relationship and their families had been neighbors for twenty years. The interfaith marriage caused a significant rift between the families.