Divya Pahuja murder: One accused held at Kolkata airport days after police issued look-out circulars

One of the accused in the murder of ex-model Divya Pahuja, Balraj Gill, was arrested at Kolkata airport on Thursday evening. According to police, Gill had allegedly disposed of Pahuja's body with another accused, Ravi Bandra. Gill was apprehended while attempting to board a flight at the airport. Police said Bandra remains at large, and efforts are underway to locate him.

Pahuja was allegedly shot dead inside room 111 at Hotel City Point on January 2 by five individuals, according to police. Her body has not yet been recovered.

The development occurs days after Gurugram Police issued look-out circulars (LOCs) against Gill and Bandra. These two individuals are accused of carrying the body in a BMW car and disposing of the body in the Ghaggar river.

The police have also announced rewards for any information that leads to their arrest. It should be noted that Pahuja's body is still missing.

Pahuja, an accused in the alleged fake encounter of dreaded gangster Sandeep Gadoli, was out on bail after spending seven years in prison. She was killed on January 2. The police said she was allegedly blackmailing Abhijeet Singh, a Gurugram-based hotel owner, who purportedly shot her dead at one of his properties.

The police arrested Singh and three others in connection with the case. On Thursday, police said that Gill, a resident of Panchkula, was trying to board a flight at Kolkata when he was detained by security personnel.

ACP (crime) Varun Kumar Dahiya said that they had received specific information regarding Gill's movements. As a result, they immediately alerted the Kolkata Police. Additionally, the Central Industrial Security Force and Airports Authority of India officials at Kolkata airport were also notified.

Gill was detained before he could board a flight. Dahiya stated that a Gurugram police team is currently en route to Kolkata to arrest Gill. The ACP mentioned that Gill will be presented before a court in Kolkata on Friday for a transit remand. Afterward, he will be brought to Gurugram to determine the location where he and Banga disposed of Pahuja's body.

“Once our Gurugram police team reaches Kolkata, it will become clear where he was trying to fly. However, Gill could not have flown abroad as he did not have his passport with him,” Dahiya said.

Pahuja's murder was discovered when her family reported her sudden disappearance and contacted the police with suspicions of foul play. Soon after, a police team arrived at Singh's hotel on Tuesday night and discovered bloodstains. They then reviewed CCTV footage, revealing two individuals dragging a body wrapped in a bed sheet and placing it into a blue BMW sedan.