In bid to claim Rs 2 crore insurance, man burns friend alive in car in UP

Chitrakoot: In a chilling case of premeditated murder and insurance fraud, a man from Uttar Pradesh’s Chitrakoot district faked his own death by burning his friend alive in a car, hoping to claim Rs 2 crore in life insurance and escape a Rs 45 lakh debt. The man, Sunil Singh Patel, was found alive days later, hiding at his brother-in-law’s house in Rewa district, Madhya Pradesh. His wife, Hema Singh, who helped him execute the plan and even conducted the last rites of the charred body, has also been arrested.

According to Chitrakoot Superintendent of Police Arun Kumar Singh, the half-burnt body of an unidentified man was discovered inside a torched car near Sikri Aman village under Rajapur police station limits on the night of June 29–30. Initially believed to be Patel’s, the body had been cremated based on his wife’s claim. However, suspicions arose due to inconsistencies in the forensic report and vague witness testimonies.

Acting on a tip-off, the police traced Patel to a house in Anandpur village, Rewa, where he was staying with his wife. He was taken into custody by a joint team of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and Rajapur police. During interrogation, Patel confessed that he had taken a Rs 45 lakh loan for a beauty parlour business and the purchase of a harvester. After struggling to repay the instalments, he decided to stage his death to claim the insurance money. Inspired by crime videos on YouTube, he plotted an elaborate scheme.

Patel identified Vinay Chauhan, a 30-year-old drug addict from his native Kanpura village, as a suitable target due to his similar build. On June 28, he befriended Vinay at a local liquor joint, and the next day, invited him for drinks again. Although he initially intended to carry out the murder near Shankargarh, heavy rains forced him to shift to Sikri Aman.