14 yrs on, murder accused caught

• Police seize country-made pistol with four live rounds

Hyderabad: South Zone police on Thursday arrested two persons on charges of murder which finally unearthed the mystery behind an undetected murder case that took place in 2000. Police recovered a country-made revolver with four live rounds The accused identified as Md Habeeb Khan, 42, and Ahmed Shamshuddin, 35, both history sheeters, residing at Bahadurpura, were arrested by a team under the guidance of Deputy Commissioner of Police, Task Force, B Limba Reddy.

Following a tip-off, the task force sleuths arrested Habeeb and Ahmed near Jalwa Hotel at Kishanbagh in Bahadurpura area on Thursday. During interrogation, it was revealed that they murdered one Asif for blackmailing Habeeb. Asif, who was the sole witness to a robbery case in which Habeeb made away with Rs 10 lakh in 2000 at Murgi Chowk in Hussaini Alam area, started blackmailing him.

Hence, Habeeb hatched a plan to eliminate him. He with the help of Ahmed picked up Asif on the night of March 3, 2000 from his house and took him to Sadashivpet in Medak district. They then strangulated Asif to death and later burnt his dead body at Girmapur village under Kondapur police limits to conceal the identity. “After the murder, Habeeb fled to Karnataka and three days ago he came back to Hyderabad and purchased the country-made pistol and four live rounds from one Wahab for Rs 20,000,” said Limba Reddy. The accused along with the seized material has been handed over to Bahadurpura police for further course of action.