New Delhi, March 26 The Delhi Police has solved the case of a 23-year-old man's murder in the outer Delhi area of Bawana, and has apprehended four minors who are alleged to have planned and carried out the crime following a previous dispute, an official said on Thursday.
The incident came to light on January 28, when police received information about a body found in Sector-5 near UER-II.
A police team rushed to the spot and found the body of a man with his throat slit using a sharp-edged weapon, indicating a violent and targeted attack.
"The deceased was later identified as Vicky, a resident of Holambi Khurd," the police officer said.
A case was registered at the Narela Industrial Area police station based on the statement of the victim's father, Raghubir Singh, and an investigation was launched.
"Initially, the case posed a significant challenge as there were no immediate clues or eyewitnesses, making it a blind murder. The victim had been missing since January 26, two days before his body was recovered, further complicating the probe," he added.
To crack the case, multiple teams were constituted under the supervision of senior officers. Investigators carried out extensive groundwork, including scanning CCTV footage from the victim's residence and surrounding areas, analysing technical surveillance data, and questioning several people connected to the deceased.
Despite sustained efforts, the investigation yielded no breakthrough in the initial stages. Police then expanded their probe by examining call detail records of suspects and gathering intelligence from local sources, but these efforts also failed to produce concrete leads.
"A turning point came during the examination of witnesses, when it emerged that the victim was last seen on the evening of January 26 in the company of one of the minors who was later apprehended. This crucial lead helped investigators narrow down their focus," the officer said.
"On March 24, nearly two months after the murder, police received a tip-off from a secret informer indicating that four people were discussing the incident among themselves and were involved in a dispute over whether to disclose their role," the officer added.
Acting on this information, a police team tracked down and apprehended the four suspects, all aged 17. During sustained interrogation, the minors confessed to their involvement in the crime.
They revealed that one of them had a prior altercation with the victim, which escalated into a grudge. Seeking revenge, the group hatched a plan to eliminate him.
According to police, the accused lured the victim and carried out the murder in a premeditated manner. They used a knife to slit his throat, ensuring his death, and then disposed of the body in a secluded area in Bawana to avoid immediate detection.
Following their apprehension, police recovered the weapon of offence. Further investigation is in progress, police added.