Meerut (Uttar Pradesh), Apr 30 (IANS): The Meerut police have arrested the 'tantrik' who allegedly killed a head constable of the Delhi Police, police said.

Meerut Superintendent of Police (rural), Kamlesh Thakur, confirmed that the alleged accused, identified as Ganeshanand, cheated people by claiming to be a practitioner of black magic.

The SP said head constable Gopichand went missing on March 26. His wife lodged a police complaint on March 27 at the Sardhana police station, following which an FIR was registered.

Later, police recovered the cop's motorcycle from the Ganga near Surjepur village in the Hastinapur area on April 12.

Thakur said that Gopichand was in touch with Ganeshanand for more than a year.

"Gopichand wanted Ganeshanand to eliminate his wife using black magic. He had even taken a big loan in his wife's name. We are investigating the case to ascertain his motive to eliminate his wife," SP Thakur added.

Gopichand left Delhi for his native village on March 26 and was on leave till April 8.

The police suspected Ganeshanand's role in the constable's disappearance from the latter's call details, and waited for his return from Chitrakoot. The 'practitioner' had even taken money from Gopichand on the day of his murder.

On March 26, Ganeshanand called Gopichand to his ashram so that he could kill Rekha and also asked the victim to bring Rs 1.5 lakh, the police said.

Later, Ganeshanand took Gopichand to Sirjepur village near the Ganga and performed a ritual while the victim lay nearby, the police said.

During the ritual, Ganeshanand attacked Gopichand with a sharp weapon and threw his body, mobile phone and motorcycle into the river.

Search for Gopichand's body is still going on.