A gym trainer, was arrested for murder of Flipkart's delivery man's murder in Bengaluru.
Highlights
- Accused was desperate for smartphone despite being unable to afford it
- Arrested Varun Kumar slit delivery man's throat, stole all the phones
- Police found delivery man's body in the gym's lift shaft
On December 9, Nanjundaswamy went to a gym in Bengaluru to deliver a smartphone ordered on Flipkart. The man who had ordered it was allegedly waiting, not with cash but a kitchen knife. Days later, the police found the 29-year-old delivery man's body, his throat slit.
Varun Kumar, a 22-year-old trainer, has been arrested for murder. He could not afford a smartphone, the police say, so he decided to get it at all costs, even if it meant killing the man who delivered it.
Varun ordered the phone online, apparently never intending to pay for it, and gave the gym as his address.
The police say he attacked Nanjundaswamy with an iron rod and a flower pot. When he fell unconscious, Varun allegedly slit his throat.
For hours, he kept the body hidden in the gym, waiting for everyone on the floor to leave before he could find a better hiding place. Then he dragged the body to the basement cellar, say police officers.
Varun allegedly kept the 12,000-rupee phone he had ordered, another more expensive phone, some cash and other goods in the delivery man's bag.
When Nanjundaswamy didn't return home for two days, his family reported him missing.
After tracking down the building where he made his last delivery, the police found the body in the cellar. The trail led to Varun, who had allegedly not opened the gym since the murder. He was arrested on Tuesday.
The police believe Varun had planned the murder as he had sneaked a kitchen knife into the gym a day before the phone delivery. They are trying to establish whether he had help.
A Flipkart spokesperson said Nanjundaswamy worked for an agency that delivers products for the online shopping company. "We are deeply anguished by the loss of one of our
delivery associates and are focused at the moment on extending all possible support to his family to help them cope with this tragedy...In view of this disturbing incident, we have initiated a review and will strengthen our on-field safety measures," the company said in a statement.