Alice, Sonu (with muffler) and Sujit (in green sweater) after their arrest in Bokaro on Tuesday. Picture by Pankaj Singh

A teenager was among three persons arrested in Dugda, Bokaro, on Tuesday for the murder of a young woman — purported victim of a love triangle — last month.

Alice Ekka (19), her sharebroker boyfriend Sonu Kumar (24) and his friend Sujit Kumar (23) strangulated Sonu’s live-in partner Tilli (22) with a wire on October 10 evening because she was opposed to his philandering habits.

Tilli’s body was found at an isolated place near Jamunia Bridge in Dugda, 25km from Bokaro steel city, the same day. The wire used to kill her was found a little distance away.

Police also found the victim’s mobile phone on the spot. Records showed Tilli had made the last call to her sister in Sector IX, expressing her fears against Sonu. She had said: “Mere bahut kam din bache hai. Mujhe ashanka hai ke Sonu mujhe mar dalega (I won’t live for long. I fear Sonu will kill me)”.

Following this strong clue for more than three weeks, Dugda police on Tuesday managed to arrest Alice, a resident of Sector IX, Sonu of Ramgarh district and Sujit of Gandhi Nagar (Bokaro).

According to officer in charge of Dugda police station Sanjay Kumar, the victim was a resident of Sector IX who developed a liking for local businessman Suresh Jaiswal and moved in with him at his Bari Co-operative Colony home.

However, Jaiswal went to Dhanbad for work and got embroiled in some business issues. When he did not return, Tilli started dating Sonu Kumar who lived in the same colony.

Soon, they started living together. During one informal get-together a few months ago, Tilli introduced Sonu to her Sector IX friend Alice. Perhaps, that was her cardinal mistake. Sonu started going around with the teenager against his partner’s wishes.

On the day in question, Sonu went to Ranchi for business and Tilli asked him to meet her at Madhuban Hotel in Ormanjhi. The couple also had an altercation over phone.

Tilli also called Alice to the hotel to settle the relationship issue. The trio had lunch — before which Tilli made the call to her sister — and set out for Bokaro. On the way, Sonu’s friend Sujit joined them.

Sujit drove the car, Sonu and Tilli seated themselves at the back and Alice took the front seat beside the driver. Tilli and Sonu kept arguing on the latter’s relationship with Alice. After a few kilometres drive, the car had a flat tyre.

Sonu, Sujit and Alice got off the car. Police suspect that is when they plotted the murder. As they reached Kurpania in Bermo, Sonu strangulated Tilli and the others helped dump her body in Dugda.