The dead body of a Moradabad based trader was recovered near Village Gangadharpur in Syohara area of district Bijnor on Saturday night. The trader was abducted and killed even after a ransom of Rs 4 Lakh was paid.

A dead body was seen by some people near village Gangadharpur in Bijnor district on Saturday night. Area police were informed and the dead body was identified as that of Kuldeep Gupta (46), a spare parts trader of Moradabad who had been abducted on Saturday morning by unknown criminals.

The police, however, are clueless about the killers and the motive of the crime. SSP of Moradabad Prabhakar Choudhary said that a case has been registered and an investigation started by the police. “All those involved in this crime would be soon behind the bars,” asserted the SSP.

According to the SSP, Kuldeep Gupta, who was a trader in Moradabad, had left his shop on Saturday morning with a motorcycle-borne person. While leaving with this person, Kuldeep informed his servant that he is going to a hospital to see someone.

The trader then called his wife and asked her to send Rs 4 lakh to the shop of Mustafa, an auto mechanic. Mustafa had earlier worked at Gupta’s shop but is now doing his own work.

After the money was delivered to Mustafa at his shop a person wearing a helmet and a mask arrived there and collect that money. Thereafter Kuldeep’s wife also got a confirmation call from him telling her that the amount she had left with Mustafa has been received by him.

That was the last conversation between the trader and his wife. After this, his phone was switched off. His wife tried to contact him on phone but the phone was not reachable.

Sensing danger, the wife informed Kuldeep’s elder brothers about the entire incident who immediately approached the police and lodged a complaint of missing at Pakbara police station. This complaint was later converted into the sections of abduction and ransom.

Police immediately started the investigation in the case. When the cops traced the location of Kuldeep’s mobile it showed district Bijnor.

Meanwhile, police quizzed Mustafa and came to know from him that the person who had come to collect money was on a black motorcycle. His face was completely covered with a mask and helmet.

Mustafa had even clicked his picture from his mobile phone but the face of the person who had come to collect money was not visible.

Meanwhile, a dead body was spotted near village Gangadharpur which was identified to be that of Kuldeep by his brother.

“We are working on the case and trying to get clues about the criminals from CCTV footage as well,” said the SSP adding that criminals would be soon behind the bars.