INDORE: In less than 36 hours, Annapurna police solved the murder mystery of a 65-year-old man, who was stabbed by unidentified men on Saturday morning with the arrest of four people, including the victim’s son. According to police, the victim’s son had given Rs 45,000 to contract killers for his father’s murder.

The victim, Gaman Lal Gehlot, a resident of Choice Palace colony was returning home after offering puja at a temple in front of his house when he was stabbed in the verandah by some people at 5:00 am on Saturday.

His son, Lekhraj Gehlot, 34, had on Saturday morning registered a complaint with the Annapurna police station claiming that he had heard screams in the morning and had found his father bleeding profusely on the floor. Lekhraj had claimed that they rushed Gamanlal to a local hospital but he was declared brought dead.

“Even as a case was registered against unidentified men, we suspected that there was something fishy as Gamanlal had no enemies. The possibility of robbery was also ruled out as the family was poor,” said Annapurna police station in charge Dilip Gangrade.

On further probe, it came to light that Lekhraj was suffering from financial crisis and owed a sum of Rs 12 lakh to various people.

He had demanded money from his father to pay off his debts.

“When his father refused to give him money even after much perusal, Lekhraj hatched a plan to get him killed. He contracted four killers and asked them to wait in the colony till 4:00 am. When Gamanlal went to offer prayers at a temple outside their house, the accused got inside. They then stabbed him on his chest and hands,” said Gangrade.

For executing his plan, Lekhraj had hired some of his colleagues from the security agency where he worked. Kunwar Singh Soni (29), Mukesh Rai (20), both residents of Gurukul colony in Rau and Suraj alias Lucky resident of Nayapura Rangwasa, were arrested by the police along with Lekhraj. One accused, however, is on the run.

To mislead cops, Lekhraj also opened the door of the almirah to make it look like a robbery, police said.

“We will arrest the absconding accused soon. An FIR under section 302 (murder) was registered against five including the son and four of them have been arrested,” said Gangrade.