Four persons, including three juveniles, have been apprehended in connection with the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Delhi, police said.
According to police, the girl was allegedly sexually assaulted and stabbed to death before her body was dumped in an open field in northwest Delhi. The case came to light after her decomposed body was found on September 13, several days after the alleged crime.
Body Found In Northwest Delhi
Police said the girl’s body was recovered near Jaipal Rana’s field in the Swaroop Nagar area along Kushak Road. By the time it was found, the body had decomposed significantly, making it difficult to immediately determine the victim’s gender, according to investigators.
Police also said parts of the body had been disturbed by stray dogs. The condition of the remains added to the difficulty of the initial investigation.
The girl had not been reported missing. According to police, her family told investigators that she would sometimes leave home and return after a few days.
CCTV Footage Helps Trace Suspects
A case was registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
With no apparent eyewitnesses and the identities of the suspects initially unknown, police teams examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras covering the crime scene and adjoining routes.
Investigators noticed a tempo moving through the area around the suspected time of the crime. Although its registration number could not be clearly identified because of poor visibility, police tracked the vehicle’s movements across several CCTV locations.
A night-long search operation was subsequently conducted between September 15 and 16. Police traced the suspected tempo, identified its driver and questioned him.
Four Apprehended, Including Three Juveniles
The investigation subsequently led police to four persons allegedly linked to the crime, including three juveniles aged 16 and 17.
The adult accused has been identified as Shivam alias Sudama alias Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony, police said.
Investigators also recovered two knives allegedly used in the crime, clothes allegedly worn by the suspects and the tempo, according to police.
Further Investigation Underway
Police said the victim and the accused persons were known to each other. Investigators are now working to establish the sequence of events, determine the individual roles of those apprehended and verify forensic and technical evidence.
The investigation remains underway.
