Bihar man watched Drishyam 3, travelled 2,000 km to kill father. One call exposed him

A 26-year-old man allegedly travelled nearly 2,000km from Surat to Bihar after watching the recently released Bollywood thriller Drishyam 3 and killed his father, police said.

Shiv Shankar, who lived and worked in Surat with his wife, allegedly travelled to his village in Samastipur district after planning the killing. According to a report by India Today, police said he had a strained relationship with his father and that the two had argued over a family land dispute.

Investigators said Shiv Shankar watched Drishyam 3 at a theatre in Surat before travelling to Bihar. Police allege that he was influenced by the film's portrayal of a carefully planned crime and attempts to create a misleading timeline and avoid leaving a digital trail.

According to investigators, Shiv Shankar switched off his mobile phone before beginning his journey. He travelled through Patna and Hajipur before reaching Patori. From there, he allegedly took an autorickshaw and then walked around 4km to his village.

Police said he entered the family home through the back door and attacked his sleeping father with an axe before fleeing the area.

However, investigators said the alleged plan began to unravel when Shiv Shankar switched his phone back on at Patori railway station and called his wife. He turned the phone off again shortly afterwards, but the brief activity reportedly provided investigators with an important lead.

Using technical surveillance and call records, police traced him to Surat, where he was arrested.

During questioning, police said Shiv Shankar allegedly admitted to planning the killing after watching Drishyam 3. Investigators also examined his movements and phone activity as part of the probe.

He was subsequently produced before a court and sent to judicial custody, according to the report.