New Delhi, March 10 A 31-year-old YouTuber and garment trader from the Mandawali area of east Delhi was found dead in an empty DDA plot, police said on Tuesday.
The victim's family alleged foul play and staged a protest outside a police station.
The deceased, identified as Pushpendra alias Akash, a resident of the School Block in Mandawali, had been missing since Saturday after leaving his house.
Family members claimed that he was carrying around Rs 1.5 lakh in cash, a gold ring, a gold chain, and an iPhone.
According to police, information about an unidentified body of a man, in his mid 30s, lying in a vacant plot was received on March 8. A police team immediately reached the spot and initiated inquest proceedings, while the crime team and forensic experts inspected the scene.
"Prima facie, no signs suggesting foul play or murder were found from the condition of the body," a senior police officer said.
Police said Akash lived with his family in Mandawali and originally hailed from Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh. He is survived by his father Budhpal Singh, mother Sunita, younger brother Vikas, wife Ritu, and their three-year-old daughter.
Police sources said that Akash ran a garment showroom in the Mandawali area along with his younger brother, and he was also active on social media and used digital platforms to promote and sell clothes online.
His family said that he had over 4 lakh subscribers on his YouTube and other social media channels.
"He used to make fashion-related videos and promote his clothing business through social media. His family members said Akash had more than 4 lakh subscribers," the officer said.
Investigation suggested that before opening a big shop in Mandawali, he had initially started with a small garment shop in the Talab Chowk area.
According to relatives, Akash left home on Saturday carrying cash and valuables but his phone soon became unreachable. The family lodged a missing person complaint with the police and began searching for him on their own. They alleged that despite informing the police, no serious effort was made initially to trace him.
Relatives claimed they eventually located Akash's body themselves, after which the police were informed. The body was sent to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital for post-mortem examination.
After the autopsy, angry family members placed the body outside the Mandawali police station and staged a protest, raising slogans against the police and demanding action.
Senior police officials later reached the spot and pacified the protestors and assured a fair investigation. Family members have alleged that Akash may have been poisoned and robbed. They also suspect the involvement of a friend who was reportedly with him around the time he went missing.
The family members alleged that the friend was with Akash till his last known location but returned without informing them about his whereabouts. They further alleged that the cash, gold ring and chain that Akash was carrying were missing from the spot where his body was found.
Police, however, said the matter is under investigation and further action will depend on the findings of the post-mortem report.
"All allegations made by the family are being examined. At present, looking at the condition of the body, it does not appear to be a case of murder. Further action will be taken based on the post-mortem findings," the officer said.