A 16-YEAR-OLD girl was stabbed over 20 times and bludgeoned to death by a youth in a busy bylane as passersby looked on in NorthWest Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy area - an incident that has drawn massive outrage as the video of the horrific killing appeared online. Delhi Police said the accused, 20-year-old Sahil, was arrested from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh on Monday. He and the victim, Sakshi, were in a “relationship” but had a quarrel on Saturday. The victim had gone shopping on Sunday evening for the birthday party of her friend’s child when she was accosted by the accused in the densely populated neighbourhood, they said. A nearly 90-second video of the incident that was shared online showed the accused pinning the victim to a wall with one hand and stabbing her repeatedly. He did not stop even when the girl slumped to the ground, jabbing the knife into her over 20 times, kicking her and then slamming a cement slab on her repeatedly. In a shocking display of public apathy, people can be seen passing by, with some bystanders staring in alarm, but not doing anything to stop the brutal attack. The accused is seen walking away from the victim in a casual manner, only to turn back and again hit her with the slab before leaving the site.

 

“I have never seen such a frightening case.What was the fault of the 16-year-old girl that she was brutally killed on the road? Several people saw this but did not pay heed. No oneisafraidofthepoliceand the law in Delhi,” Delhi Commission for Women Chairperson Swati Maliwal said. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and other AAP leaders attacked Lieutenant Governor V K Saxena, saying it was his responsibility to maintain law and order in the city, while the Delhi BJP claimed it was a case of “love jihad” and slammed the AAP for “trying to portray” it as an “ordinary”murderanda law and order issue. Calling the incident“extremelydisturbing and appalling”, the National Commission for Women said its chairperson RekhaSharmahaswrittento the Commissioner of Police ofDelhitoconducta fairand time-boundinvestigationin the matter.TheCommission has formed a three-member team headed by member DelinaKhongduptolookinto the matter. Delhi Police PRO Suman NalwasaidtheaccusedSahil worked as a fridge and AC mechanic. He livedina rented accommodation with his parents andthree siblings in Shahbad Dairy area.

 

A case under Section 302 (murder)ofthe IndianPenal Code has been registered at ShahbadDairypolicestation on the complaint by the victim’sfather,thepoliceadded. The police suspect that “strainedrelationship”ofthe accused with Sakshi could be a possible reason behind the crime. A police officer said that the girl’s skull was ruptured, citingpreliminary findingsofthepost-mortem. Sakshi, whose father is a labourer,passedClass10this year. The victim’s parents, whoareresidentsofJJColony in Shahbad Dairy and have a younger son, said she was stayingwithherfriendNeetu for the last 15 days since the latter’s husband was out of Delhi for work. Recalling Sunday’s events, Neetu, who has two children, saidSakshi was busy organising the birthdaypartyforherdaughter and went to the nearby market to get a dress for the child. She informed Neetu that she wanted to use the washroom and was going to theircommonfriend’splace. NeetuclaimedthatSakshi and Sahil often fought with each other but she got to know about their “friendship” only six months ago. Seeking justice for their daughter, Sakshi’s parents demanded capital punishment for the accused.