- Sukhdev Pehalwan died in a two-wheeler accident in Kushinagar, Uttar Pradesh
- He was convicted in the 2002 Nitish Katara murder case and released in 2024
- He was riding with two pillion riders when a car hit him head-on
Sukhdev Pehalwan, one of the convicts in the Nitish Katara murder case, has died in an accident in Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar district, months after he was released from prison after serving a 20-year sentence.
The accident occurred as a car rammed his two-wheeler in the Turkpatti area on Tuesday. Another person also died in the crash.
Pehalwan, a resident of Taruwanwa village, was riding with two pillion riders when the accident occurred. The three fell from the two-wheeler after a head collision with an SUV, reportedly a Mahindra Scorpio.
He was rushed to the hospital but was declared dead on arrival. Two others are undergoing treatment.
Reports suggest the police have seized the car and are now looking for the accused driver.
An investigation is underway.
Nitish Katara Murder Case
Pehalwan was among the convicts in the Nitish Katara murder case, a heinous instance of dishonour killing that had shaken the nation.
Katara was murdered on the night of February 16-17, 2002, in Ghaziabad over his alleged affair with Bharti Yadav, daughter of DP Yadav, a powerful politician and liquor trader from western Uttar Pradesh. Besides Pehalwan, Yadav's son Vikas Yadav and nephew Vishal Yadav were also convicted in the case.
The Supreme Court in 2016 sentenced the Yadav cousins to 25 years in jail. Pehalwan, who was their accomplice, was jailed for 20 years. He completed his sentence in March 2024, but his release was delayed due to some technical reasons.
He had walked out of Delhi's Tihar Jail a few months ago, following the top court's intervention.
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