Unable to pay for an iPhone, a 20-year-old in Karnataka murders a Flipkart delivery employee.
A 20-year-old man in Karnataka’s Hassan district allegedly murdered a delivery professional on February 7 because he was unable to pay for an iPhone he had bought and had been brought by the victim.
The culprit, known as Hemanth Dutt, is a native of the southern Karnataka district town of Arasikere, according to police. He is charged under sections 302 (punishment for murder) and 201 (causing loss of evidence) of the Indian Criminal Code (IPC), according to the police. His location of employment was not immediately revealed.
Hemanth Naik, age 23, worked for the online store Flipkart and resided in the same city.
“He murdered the delivery agent because he was unable to pay for the iPhone he bought. This was a difficult case for us because we could not determine the motivation behind the incident. “There was no animosity, dispute, or criminal history,” said Hassan police superintendent Hariram Shankar, adding that the suspect admitted to the murder.
Dutt had ordered a used Iphone 14 from Flipkart for 46,000, with payment due upon delivery. The iPhone was delivered to Dutt’s apartment in Laxmipura, Arasikere, on February 7 at approximately 9 a.m. Police say Dutt urged the delivery person to open the box so he could examine the phone before making payment. Dutt then took Naik into his home and requested him to wait, stating that his pals will soon arrive with the money, according to the source.
The police claim that Dutt then drew a knife and repeatedly stabbed Naik in the neck and chest, killing him instantly. “As Naik was waiting and scrolling through Facebook and Instagram on his phone, the suspect stabbed him from behind,” Shankar said, adding that the suspect admitted to the crime.
According to investigators, Dutt formerly resided alone in a 2bhk home.
Shankar continued, “After murdering Naik, the suspect put his body in a gunny sack for three days in the bathroom of his apartment.”
The SP added that the victim’s brother, Manjunath Naik, had filed a missing person’s report on February 8, and that an investigation was underway.
A second police officer reported that Naik had dropped out of college and relocated to Bengaluru in search of employment. Nonetheless, he returned to Arasikere and worked as a courier. A second police officer stated that Naik had dropped out of college and relocated to Bengaluru, kilometres away, in search of employment. Nonetheless, he returned to Arasikere and worked as a delivery agent for Ekart Logistics, Flipkart’s logistics and supply chain division.
The SP stated that on the evening of February 10, Dutt planned to dispose of the body by burning it. He transported the body on his motorcycle to a train station on the city’s outskirts, where he burned it and disposed of it. “He poured kerosene and gasoline on the body to burn it,” the police chief said, adding that surveillance footage captured the suspect attempting to dispose of the body.
The police reported that the body was recovered on February 11. “The homicide occurred on February 7.” The corpse was discovered on February 11th. The victim’s brother had already filed a missing person’s report. Therefore, we were attempting to locate him, but had no leads until then. After discovering the body, we contacted the forensic team to gather evidence. We preserved the body for more than six hours until the team arrived to collect evidence. We then contacted his family, who positively identified him,” the officer stated.
“After we recognised him, we investigated his criminal history. We believed this (murder) may have been the result of his relationship with a woman whose parents may have opposed. The body was not disposed of professionally. It was discarded on a railroad track, which is hardly an expert concealing spot. “That was done in a hurry,” the SP continued.
Additionally, the SP stated that police eventually tracked Naik’s mobile device to Dutt’s apartment. “On that day, Naik was meant to deliver seven packages. He delivered two packages before vanishing. Later, we monitored Naik’s mobile phone and discovered that its last known location was at Dutt’s home. He stated that a team of police officers entered the accused’s home and discovered his mobile phone and four more packages.
Dutt was arrested by police on Sunday and is currently in judicial custody. “We have a clear understanding of the weapons used and the order of events. We have also retrieved the victim’s mobile phone and other stuff he had with him on the day of the crime for delivery, the police officer said.
Arsikere is a small, tranquil taluk in Karnataka’s Hassan district. Demographically, it is the second largest city in the district.
