Ashok Nagar murder: Stalker held, murder was ‘pre-planned’

The 26-year-old accused, identified as Taufiq-ur-Rehman, was brought to Delhi after being apprehended from a local market

Two days after a 19-year-old woman died after allegedly being pushed off the terrace of a five-storey building in northeast Delhi’s Ashok Nagar, police on Wednesday said they have arrested her alleged stalker from his hometown, Tanda, in Uttar Pradesh’s Rampur district.

26-year-old accused, identified as Taufiq-ur-Rehman in custody. (HT PHOTO)

The 26-year-old accused, identified as Taufiq-ur-Rehman, was brought to Delhi after being apprehended from a local market where he was reportedly planning to flee to another city. According to investigators, he had been evading arrest since the incident on Monday morning, aware that police were looking for him.

Senior police officers familiar with the case said the crime appears to have been premeditated. Taufiq allegedly travelled to Delhi from Rampur with the intent to confront the woman. To avoid being identified, he wore a burqa that he brought from his home. The garment, police said, was later recovered from a nearby drain where he allegedly discarded it after fleeing the scene.

According to the police, Taufiq admitted during questioning that he was upset after the woman stopped communicating with him over the past month and a half. Police said he had proposed marriage, but the woman turned him down, and her family had begun looking for a match for her, which reportedly angered him.

Officers said the woman had known the accused for at least three years, and that he was known to her family as well. He worked as a labourer in Ashok Nagar market and would often visit their home during festivals. However, in recent months, his behaviour reportedly turned aggressive. The woman’s family told police that Taufiq began stalking her, made repeated unwelcome advances, and grew increasingly hostile after she distanced herself.

“Taufiq admitted to us that he was disturbed after learning that the woman’s family had found a match for her and were planning her engagement. He said she refused to call it off, which infuriated him,” said a police officer, requesting anonymity.

On Monday morning, police said, the accused wore the burqa and entered the building where the woman lived with her parents and four siblings on the first floor. Taufiq waited for the woman on the terrace, knowing that she came up every morning without fail to switch on the water pump, police said.

“Around 8.30am, when she arrived, Taufiq confronted her for not responding to his calls and messages. An altercation broke out between them and the woman screamed for help,” the officer said.

“Taufiq panicked and tried to silence the woman by attempting to throttle her. Hearing the commotion, her father came to the terrace. When the father tried to rescue her, Taufiq pushed him aside and threw her off. She fell nearly 50 feet, landing on bricks in a vacant lot. Her family members rushed her to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital, where she succumbed to injuries nearly 12 hours later,” the officer added.

A case of murder has been registered. Police said further investigation is under way, including examination of call records and witness statements.