Aspiring fashion designer found killed in hotel room

LUCKNOW: An aspiring fashion designer, Arpit Dixit of Shahjahanpur district, was found murdered in a hotel in Qaiserbagh police area here on Sunday.

The deceased’s friend, a teacher at a polytechnic college in Bahraich, who had also checked into the hotel room, was a prime suspect in the murder and missing after the incident, said police.

As per the police, the house keeping staff of Hotel Continental at Basmandi crossing, reported that the visitors in room number 203 were not responding to the calls and a slip ‘Do not disturb’ was placed at the room’s door on Sunday afternoon. The hotel staff informed the police control room that a stink was emanating from the room. When the police reached the spot, they found Dixit’s body in a decomposed condition. ASP (west), Vikas Chandra Tripathi said the deceased was identified as Arpit Dixit, 28, of Sadar Kotwali locality of Shahjahanpur.

“Arpit was doing a course in fashion designing from an institute in Rae Bareli. He, along with one Abhinav Pal, had checked in to the hotel room on May 3,” he added.

He said Abhinav Pal, who is a native of TP Nagar locality of Kanpur and a teacher at polytechnic college in Bahraich, had got the room booked online and had submitted the photocopy of his identity card. “It is a case of murder. The injuries could not be detected as the body was found in a highly decomposed state and Abhinav is the prime suspect,” he said.