MEERUT, May 12 -- Sambhal police have uncovered a case of double murder carried out to claim insurance payouts worth Rs 3.5 crore. Seven people have been arrested for allegedly luring vulnerable individuals, killing them, and fraudulently claiming life insurance money. A third murder was being planned but was thwarted in time, police said on Sunday. The murders, which took place under the jurisdiction of Rajpura police station, involved the deaths of Aman and Salim, both targeted after being coaxed into purchasing multiple insurance policies. Investigators revealed that the accused had already received Rs 78 lakh from Aman's policies and Rs 20 lakh from Salim's. The arrested accused have been identified as Vedprakash, Kamal Singh, Sunil Kumar, Omprakash, Premshankar, Nirdesh, and Udaybhan. ASP Anukriti Sharma said the alleged mastermind Vedprakash, confessed that Aman, a relative, was chosen for the plan due to his vulnerable personal circumstances following the death of his mother and his father's remarriage. As per the police, Vedprakash, along with his brother Kamal, manipulated Aman into opening a bank account and signing up for several insurance policies, all under the guise of securing his future. They used Kamal's phone number to control all communications and named Aman's father and stepmother as policy nominees. On November 15, 2023, Aman was brought to the Dhanari area on the pretext of attending a family event. There, the group allegedly got him drunk, drove him to a secluded place, and struck him on the head with a hammer. His body was left by the roadside to make it appear like a traffic accident. His identity documents were placed in his pocket to ensure quick identification, police revealed. Initially, police treated the case as an accident and closed the investigation. The insurance claim process was followed, with Rs 20 lakh credited to the nominee's account. The remaining amount from various insurers brought the total claim received in Aman's name to Rs 78 lakh, which was reportedly divided among the accused. Police further revealed that before Aman's killing, the same group had orchestrated the death of Salim, a theatre worker from Dhanari, for a Rs 2.7 crore insurance payout. Salim had been introduced to the group by a man named Babu, with whom he lived. Babu allegedly handed over Salim's personal details, enabling the group to secure several insurance policies in his name, listing Babu as the nominee. On July 29, 2022, Salim was run over in a staged road accident. The case, registered at the Rahra police station, was closed after a brief inquiry. Following Salim's death, Rs 20 lakh was claimed from insurance companies and shared among the conspirators. Police said Babu is now deceased, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the circumstances surrounding his death. The racket was uncovered during ongoing investigations into suspicious insurance claims. Police say the gang was preparing for another murder when they were intercepted and arrested. "These individuals were planning a third killing, but timely intervention prevented it," said ASP Sharma. "We are pursuing leads in other similar cases, and the investigation is continuing."...