Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Sep 18: A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped and stabbed to death before her body was dumped in an open field in Delhi, police said. Four people, including three juveniles, have been apprehended in connection with the crime.

According to police, the girl had gone with the accused in a tempo, where the group allegedly consumed alcohol before she was sexually assaulted and stabbed. Her body was subsequently dumped near Jaipal Rana’s field on Kushak Road, where it was found on September 13.

Police said the body had decomposed to such an extent that its gender could not be immediately ascertained. Some parts had also been eaten by stray dogs, while one hand was found separated from the body.

The girl and the accused were known to each other, police said. Her family had not reported her missing, as she would often leave home and return after a few days, according to investigators.

A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Police said there was no apparent eyewitness and the identities of those involved were initially unknown. Investigators examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras covering the area around the field and adjoining routes.

During the investigation, police noticed a tempo moving near the crime scene around the relevant time. Its registration number could not be clearly identified due to darkness.

Investigators subsequently tracked the vehicle across multiple CCTV locations to establish its route and identify those associated with it.

During a night-long search operation between September 15 and 16, the suspected tempo was traced to Khadda Colony in the Swaroop Nagar area. The driver was identified and questioned, following which four people allegedly linked to the crime were apprehended.

The adult accused was identified as Shivam alias Sudama alias Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony. The other three accused are juveniles aged 16 and 17, police said.

Police said two knives allegedly used in the crime, along with clothes allegedly worn by the accused and the tempo, were recovered.

The recovered articles are being examined as part of the investigation to establish the sequence of events and determine the individual roles of those apprehended.

Further investigation is underway, with police examining forensic and technical evidence in the case.