Atul Sharma
Early Times Report
Jammu, May 8: A friendship that once saw two young men spending hours together in the narrow lanes of Kathua ended in a shocking act of violence, leaving a family devastated and an entire neighbourhood struggling to comprehend how a dispute over a relationship turned deadly.
The murder of 19-year-old Nakul Singh, which sent shockwaves across Kathua earlier this week, has now been solved by police. The accused is none other than Nakul’s close friend and neighbour, Parth Verma, who lived just a few houses away from him. Police say the killing was triggered by tensions arising out of a “love triangle” involving a young girl both boys had been emotionally connected to at different times.
According to the police investigation, the same girl who had earlier been in a relationship with Nakul was later reportedly in a relationship with Parth. However, Nakul would occasionally remain in contact with her, something that allegedly angered Parth and had already led to arguments between the two friends in the past.
Addressing a press conference on Friday, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Mohita Sharma said the simmering tensions finally exploded into violence on May 6.
Police said that around 10:30 am on the day of the incident, Parth visited Nakul at his residence in Kathua. Investigators believe the two initially spoke normally before the conversation turned into an argument over the girl. In a fit of rage, Parth allegedly attacked Nakul with a cricket bat, killing him on the spot.
Moments later, Nakul’s brother Nikhil Singh reached the scene and attempted to stop the accused. However, Parth allegedly struck him with the bat as well before fleeing from the house carrying Nakul’s mobile phone.
The brutal murder stunned residents of the locality, many of whom had known both boys since childhood. Neighbours described them as close friends who often spent time together, making the crime even harder to believe.
Police cracked t "It is a painful reminder of how jealousy, emotional conflict, and impulsive anger can destroy young lives, leaving behind broken families, unanswered questions, and a friendship forever stained by violence."
Investigators traced calls made from Nakul’s phone after the murder and identified a youth who revealed that he had received a call from Parth using Nakul’s number. This breakthrough led police to detain Parth, who later allegedly confessed to the crime during questioning.
According to investigators, Parth had called Nakul earlier that morning to confirm whether he was at home before going to meet him. After the murder, he allegedly took Nakul’s iPhone and hid it in bushes near Kathua’s new bus stand, hoping to retrieve and sell it later once the situation calmed down. Police recovered crucial evidence during the investigation.
On Friday, the accused was produced before a district court, which remanded him to 10 days of police custody for further interrogation.
The case has left Nakul’s family shattered. Sitting inside her grief-stricken home, Nakul’s mother, Jyoti Devi, struggled to come to terms with the loss of her son at the hands of someone she believed was his friend.
With tears in her eyes, she said she had always suspected that someone from Nakul’s close circle was involved, recalling how his friends would often come calling for him even late at night. While expressing relief that the accused had been identified, she demanded the harshest possible punishment for the killer.
“One son has been killed, and the other was also attacked. Our family has been destroyed,” she said, demanding justice for her son.
For many in Kathua, the tragedy is more than just another crime story. It is a painful reminder of how jealousy, emotional conflict, and impulsive anger can destroy young lives, leaving behind broken families, unanswered questions, and a friendship forever stained by violence. |