CCTV Trail Leads Police to Four in Delhi Teen Rape-Murder Case
A teenage girl was allegedly gang-raped and stabbed to death in Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar area, with police apprehending four people, including three minors, in connection with the case.
The girl’s decomposed body was found in an open field near Kushak Road on September 13, days after the suspected crime. Police said parts of the body had been eaten by stray dogs and one hand was found separated from the body.
Reports differ on the victim’s age. Indian Express and Hindustan Times identified her as 16, while NDTV and New Indian Express reported her age as 17. Reportiva is therefore referring to her as a teenage girl in this report.
Body Found in Swaroop Nagar Field
Police received information on the morning of September 13 about a body lying in an open field near a farm on Kushak Road in Swaroop Nagar. The body was heavily decomposed and initially could not be identified.
Investigators later established the identity of the victim and, based on the post-mortem and other preliminary evidence, registered a case involving murder, rape and disappearance of evidence. The FIR also invokes the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Police said the girl had known at least one of the suspects. According to investigators cited by multiple news organisations, she had gone to meet a 17-year-old boy who allegedly called three other people to join him.
Police suspect the group travelled in a tempo and that the girl was sexually assaulted inside the vehicle. Investigators further allege that she was stabbed after the assault and that her body was subsequently dumped in the field. The precise sequence of events and the individual roles of the suspects remain under investigation.
More Than 50 CCTV Cameras Examined
The investigation initially had no apparent eyewitnesses and police did not know the identities of those involved.
Investigators then examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras covering the area and adjoining roads. A tempo was seen moving near the suspected crime scene, although its registration number was initially difficult to read because of darkness and poor visibility.
Police tracked the vehicle’s movements across several cameras before tracing it to Khadda Colony in the Swaroop Nagar area. The driver was questioned, and the investigation subsequently led police to four suspects.
The four include a 19-year-old man identified in police accounts as Shivam alias Sudama, along with three juveniles aged 16 and 17. All four have been taken into custody, according to police reports.
Two knives allegedly linked to the killing, clothes allegedly worn by the suspects, and the tempo were recovered, police said. Forensic examination of the recovered material is part of the ongoing investigation.
Police Probe Individual Roles
Police are still examining the exact role played by each suspect. One of the accused has reportedly denied involvement, and investigators are awaiting medical and forensic evidence to assess the competing accounts.
Police are also investigating whether anyone else was involved in the crime.
The circumstances surrounding the victim’s movements before the alleged assault are also being examined. Police said her family had not reported her missing and told investigators that she would sometimes leave home and return after several days.
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the POCSO Act. Since the suspects include juveniles, their cases will also be dealt with under the applicable juvenile justice framework.
Investigation Continues
The four suspects are in custody while police work to establish the full sequence of events and verify the forensic and technical evidence.
Investigators are examining the recovered knives, clothing, vehicle, and other evidence while continuing to determine whether additional people were involved.
The case remains under investigation, and allegations against the suspects have not been tested in court.
This story may be updated as new information becomes available.
