A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped and stabbed to death in Delhi before her body was dumped in an open field, police said. Four people, including three minors, have been apprehended in connection with the case.
The girl’s severely decomposed body was discovered near Jaipal Rana’s field along Kushak Road on September 13. Police said the condition of the remains was so severe that the victim’s gender could not initially be identified.
According to investigators, some parts of the body had been eaten by stray dogs and one hand was found separated from the body. Police have registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Girl Had Gone Out With People She Knew
Police said the teenager knew the accused and had travelled with them in a tempo.
Investigators allege that the group consumed alcohol inside the vehicle before the girl was sexually assaulted. She was then allegedly attacked with knives and killed before her body was taken to the field and abandoned.
A medical examination later confirmed rape, according to police. Investigators also found multiple stab injuries on the victim.
Body Discovered Days After Crime
The case came to light after information about a body lying in an open area reached the police on September 13.
The victim’s family had not filed a missing-person complaint. Police said relatives told investigators that she would sometimes leave home and return after a few days.
The badly decomposed condition of the body initially made identification difficult. Police subsequently established the victim’s identity as the investigation progressed.
CCTV Footage Helped Police Trace Suspects
With no apparent eyewitness and the suspects initially unidentified, Delhi Police examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras installed around the area and along nearby routes.
Investigators noticed a tempo moving close to the location around the suspected time of the crime. Although its registration number was not clearly visible because of darkness, police tracked the vehicle through footage from several locations.
A night-long search operation on September 15 and 16 eventually helped investigators trace the suspected tempo to Khadda Colony in the Swaroop Nagar area. The driver was then questioned, leading police to the other suspects.
Three Juveniles Among Four Held
Police identified the adult accused as Shivam alias Sudama alias Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony.
The other three suspects are juveniles aged 16 and 17, according to police.
Investigators have recovered two knives allegedly used in the crime, along with clothes allegedly worn by the accused and the tempo believed to be connected with the incident.
Investigation Continues
Police are now working to establish the exact sequence of events and determine the individual role of each accused.
Forensic and technical evidence is also being examined as part of the investigation.
The allegations against the four suspects will be tested through the legal process, while police continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the alleged sexual assault, murder and disposal of the victim’s body.
