Restaurateur brutally killed, biz partner held

Mumbai: The Antop Hill police registered a case of murder after a 38-year-old restaurateur was brutally murdered at his apartment in the wee hours of Tuesday.

The police subsequently arrested his business partner from Pune for hatching the murder and sending three men to slit his throat. Neighbours informed the police control after hearing his cry for help.

The deceased was identified as Anand Narayan, who was working with a news channel till two years ago, police said. He had quit his job and had started a restaurant in Shivaji Park area in partnership. During the course of investigation, the police learnt that the partnership had turned sour over monetary dispute with the main accused identified as Sarang, following which he planned a hit on Narayan.

“At least three persons entered the building at around 2.30am and murdered Narayan when he was alone at his residence,” said an officer of Antop Hill police station.

The victim resided on the seventh floor of the Pant Galaxy building. When the officials entered his house, Narayan was found lying in a pool of blood. He was immediately rushed to Sion hospital; however, he had succumbed to his injuries by then, police said.

The officials found about the hitmen after they scanned CCTV footage of the building and found the three suspects entering there in the wee hours. The police then began checking Narayan’s antecedents and could not find his business partner for interrogation. He was subsequently traced to Pune from where a team of Antop Hill police arrested him.

The police has registered a case of murder, as per the Indian Penal Code (IPC), against unknown persons and are on the lookout of the three persons who killed Narayan. The police will bring thebusiness partner to city and seek his custody for further investigation.