A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
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A 17-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped and stabbed to death before her body was dumped in a field near Kushak Road in Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar, where it was later found being eaten by stray dogs, NDTV reported.
The incident came to light on the morning of September 13, when residents informed Delhi Police that dogs were attacking a body lying in a nearby field. When officers reached the spot, they found a heavily decomposed body with one hand severed and partially eaten by stray dogs.
The condition of the body was so severe that police were initially unable to determine the victim’s gender. Her face had been completely mutilated, and multiple stab injuries were found during the investigation. A medical examination later confirmed that she had been sexually assaulted, as per the report.
According to investigators, the crime is suspected to have taken place on September 11, around two days before the body was recovered. Police said the girl knew the accused persons and had travelled with them in a tempo on the day of the incident.
The victim’s family had not filed a missing person complaint, police said, adding that they told investigators that she would often leave home and return after a few days, NDTV report mentioned.
A case was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
With no direct eyewitnesses and the identity of the suspects unknown, Delhi Police began scanning CCTV footage from the area and nearby routes.
Investigators analysed more than 50 CCTV cameras and spotted a tempo moving close to the crime scene around the suspected time of the incident. Since the vehicle’s registration number was not clearly visible due to darkness, police tracked its movement through multiple camera recordings.
A search operation was carried out during the night of September 15 and 16, following which police traced the suspected tempo and questioned its driver.
The investigation eventually led to the arrest of four people, including three juveniles, who were allegedly linked to the crime. The accused are reportedly aged between 16 and 19 years.
According to the report by NDTV, the adult accused has been identified as Shivam alias Sudama alias Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony, while the three juveniles are aged 16 and 17, police said.
Police have recovered two knives allegedly used in the crime, along with clothes believed to have been worn by the accused and the tempo used during the incident. All the accused are currently in police custody as further investigation continues.