NEW DELHI: A 16-year-old girl was raped and murdered, allegedly by a group of four youths, in Outer Delhi’s Swaroop Nagar and her body dumped in an open field. Three minors and a 19-year-old man have been apprehended in connection with the case.Police said three of the suspects allegedly raped the girl. The fourth suspect claimed he was not involved in the sexual assault but participated in the murder. Investigators are verifying his claim and examining the individual role of each suspect.The incident took place on Sept 12. Police received information about a body lying near an open field along Kushak Road the following morning. A team reached the spot and found the body, whose identity was initially unknown. The girl had been stabbed at least eight times.Based on preliminary investigation, police registered an FIR under sections 103(1) (murder), 238(A) (causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information to screen an offender), 65(1) (rape) and 3(5) (common intention) of BNS, along with Section 6 of Pocso Act.DCP (Outer North) Shobhit D Saksena formed a dedicated team under the supervision of additional DCP Lokeshwaran R. With no apparent eyewitness and the identities of the suspects unknown, investigators relied on CCTV footage from the area. More than 50 cameras covering the crime spot and adjoining routes were examined.During the analysis, police noticed a tempo moving near the area around the suspected time of the crime. However, its registration number could not be clearly identified due to darkness. Investigators subsequently tracked the vehicle across multiple CCTV locations and matched its movements with field enquiries. This helped police establish the suspected vehicle’s route and identify it.A night-long search operation was conducted during the intervening night of Sept 15 and 16, following which the tempo was traced parked in Khadda Colony, Swaroop Nagar. Police identified and questioned the driver, leading to the apprehension of the four suspects.According to police, on Sept 12, the girl had gone to meet a friend. He allegedly called his friends, following which they travelled in a goods-carrying tempo operated by the brother of one of the minors.During questioning, the suspects told police that they had been drinking. Police said the suspects sexually assaulted the girl inside the tempo before stabbing her multiple times. Fearing that she would report the forceful assault, they allegedly killed her. Police said the account given by the suspects is being verified, and forensic and other evidence is being examined.Two knives allegedly used in the crime and the clothes allegedly worn by the suspects have been recovered. The tempo has also been seized. Further investigation is underway to establish the sequence of events.
