Ahmedabad: Three days after 25-year-old Vaibhav Manwani of the city was killed near the Narmada Canal in Adalaj on his birthday, Ahmedabad City Crime Branch police on Tuesday arrested the prime accused, Vipul Parmar.

The accused was arrested from Kagdadi village in Rajkot district. He had previously committed murder and two robberies near the Narmada Canal under Adalaj police station in 2021. In addition, he was involved in a robbery under Info City police station and an attempted murder under the jurisdiction of Nikol Police Station. In 2021, Gandhinagar LCB had arrested Vipul Parmar, and he was sent to jail. He was released in October 2024 after being granted bail.

It has emerged that Vipul, also known as Vimal or Neel Parmar, had unsuccessfully sought marriage alliances through matrimonial sites and reportedly developed psychological issues due to repeated rejection. Whenever he spotted couples together, he would attack them out of frustration.

Reports indicate that Parmar had a troubled family background. His mother had left, his father remarried, and his stepmother reportedly did not treat him well. This constant resentment may have contributed to his violent behavior.

The murder occurred on Saturday night. Manwani had gone out with friends to celebrate his birthday and later drove with his 23-year-old female friend along the canal road near the Ambapur metro cable bridge. An unknown man suddenly opened the back door of their car and threatened them with a knife, demanding valuables. When Manwani resisted, the attacker stabbed him. The woman tried to intervene but was also stabbed in the neck and right arm. She handed over her wristwatch, imitation jewellery, purse, and mobile phones.

The attacker fled in Manwani’s car, which broke down shortly afterward, forcing him to abandon it. Despite the ordeal, the woman ran nearly 800 metres and flagged down a passing couple to borrow a phone and contact her parents, who called a 108 ambulance to rush her to the hospital.

Adalaj police had registered cases of murder, attempted murder, and robbery/dacoity with intent to cause grievous harm and were investigating the matter along with the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, which ultimately apprehended the accused today. DeshGujarat