3 held in connection with murder of DTTDC contractual staff

Three persons have been arrested from Uttam Nagar and Saket in connection with the murder of a contractual employee of Delhi Tourism department, police said today.
Acting on a tip-off, police spotted Pankaj Sharma and Dharmender Yadav at Uttam Nagar yesterday. In order to evade arrest Pankaj fired at the policemen, but the duo were arrested after a scuffle, a police officer said.
The third accused, Vivek Kashyap, who is Pankaj's brother-in-law, was arrested from Saket, the officer said.
Brij Bhushan Prasad, a contractual employee at a liquor vend in Yusuf Sarai under Delhi Tourism and Transport Development Corporation (DTTDC) was killed in south Delhi's Mehrauli area last month.

The accused had thought that Prasad used to carry cash proceeds of the liquor vend for that day home and hatched a plan to rob him, said DCP(South) Ishwar Singh.
On December 20, when Prasad was on his way home after closing the liquor vend, he was attacked by some persons who also fired at him. His car was vandalised. The victim was taken to a hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.

"During investigation, it was revealed that even though Prasad was not involved in public dealings at his workplace, he could be seen handling the sale proceeds of the vend in the late evening hours," Singh said.

The vend was frequented by many servants, delivery boys and restaurant employees in the evenings to purchase liquor for their employers.
"It was learnt that since the incident took place, at least four to five local delivery boys and some other blue collar workers were reported absent. After further scrutiny, two to three suspected persons could not be traced and their absence from their workplaces also couldn't be explained," the DCP said.
The images of the accused were also captured CCTV cameras near the site of the incident which led to their arrest.
"During interrogation it was revealed that Vivek, who used to visit the liquor vend frequently, had on several occasions seen Prasad counting cash," Singh said.

Prasad used to leave for home in his car with some bags. Vivek thought that the victim used to carry the cash proceeds from the liquor vend home and told Pankaj Sharma about it.
"Pankaj hatched the plan and brought in Dharmender and two other accomplices," the officer said, adding efforts are on to nab the other two accused.