BHU professor gives 'supari' to ex-research scholar to kill his successor

Lucknow: Irked over being replaced from the post of HoD (head of the department), a senior professor at the prestigious Banaras Hindu University (BHU) allegedly gave 'supari' (contract) to 'kill' the incumbent HoD.

Police sources said that ex-head of the department of Telugu Budati Venkateswarlu hired his former research scholar and some others to eliminate the incumbent C S Ramchandra Murthy.

A senior police official said in Varanasi that the conspiracy came to light after the research scholar B Bhaskar, a resident of Telangana and his accomplice were arrested by the police a couple of days back.

The police have booked nine people in the matter. While two have been arrested, a search was launched to nab six others. Police said that the main accused Venkateswarlu would be arrested shortly.

The police were also investigating the role of an assistant professor at Mysore University Quasim Babu, whom Venkateswarlu wanted to be appointed in BHU, in the matter.

The official said that Venkateswarlu, a resident of Andhra Pradesh, was irked over being removed from the HoD post and therefore hatched a conspiracy to eliminate Murthy.

As part of the conspiracy Bhaskar and Quasim Babu arrived in Varanasi by plane and stayed at a hotel in the Lanka area in Varanasi, which was close to BHU. One of the hired hands Pramod also roped in a few local goons to lend him a helping hand in the crime.

On July 28 this year, they intercepted Murthy while he was strolling and attacked him with iron rods. Murthy sustained serious injuries and had fractured his arm. He was admitted to the BHU hospital.