New Delhi: Delhi Police has arrested two men from Banda in Uttar Pradesh for killing a minor girl and dumping her body in the national Capital, an official said on Thursday.
The accused were identified as Sushil Sharma and Neeraj, both residents of district Banda.
The incident unfolded on September 4 when the police received information about an unidentified female body near the bio-diversity park in Tughlakabad.
"A police team rushed to the scene and discovered the lifeless body of a girl, estimated to be around 13-14 years old, bearing signs of strangulation on her neck," said Deputy Commissioner of Police (southeast), Rajesh Deo.
An extensive investigation followed, involving the examination of numerous CCTV cameras and vehicles near the crime scene. Eventually, the police zeroed in on a Tata Ace vehicle, the movements of which were traced through various CCTV footage from Anand Mai Marg, Pul Pahlad Pur, and up to the Faridabad border.
"The vehicle's owner was identified as Sonu Sharma, a resident of Pul Prahlad Pur," said the DCP.
During questioning, Sonu Sharma revealed that his driver, Sushil, had been using the vehicle for parcel deliveries in Delhi.
"On September 2, Sushil had returned from his hometown in District Banda, accompanied by an unidentified person. On the evening of September 3, Sushil requested the vehicle keys from Sonu to rest in it overnight. When asked about their whereabouts, Sushil mentioned that he and his friend had traveled to their native village on September 6," said the DCP.
Through technical surveillance, the police traced Sushil's mobile number and apprehended him on Monday.
"Initially, Sushil denied any involvement in the girl's murder, but after sustained interrogation, he confessed," said the DCP.
He revealed that his friend Neeraj, a truck driver from the same village, had a friendly relationship with the girl for several days.
"The girl had expressed a desire to run away with Neeraj, but he was hesitant. On August 31, she contacted Neeraj and asked him to pick her up and take her away from home," said the DCP.
Upon learning of this, Sushil assured Neeraj that he would arrange rented accommodation for them in Delhi.
"They picked up the girl from her village and traveled to Kanpur by bus. On September 1, they took a train to Delhi and arrived on September 2. After reaching Delhi, they left her under the Badarpur Flyover and returned to their workplace in Pul Prahlad Pur," said the DCP.
Over the next two days, they attempted to find rented accommodation but were unsuccessful.
"They also tried to persuade the girl to return home, as they found it challenging to keep her in Delhi. However, she refused due to fear of her family. In the early hours of September 4, they took her to an isolated location near the bio-diversity park in Tughlakabad, Govindpuri," said the DCP.
"To eliminate her, they strangled her and left her lifeless body there. Subsequently, they returned to their village on September 6," said the DCP.
—IANS