Delhi man strangles uncle over property dispute, calls police to confess

According to a senior police officer, the control room received a call around 5.30pm in which the caller said he had killed his uncle—his paternal aunt’s husband—at his Ranjeet Nagar residence. Responding to the call, officers reached the ground-floor home to find Kapoor lying dead and Thapar sitting beside him

A 45-year-old man strangled his 72-year-old uncle to death allegedly over a property dispute in central Delhi’s Ranjeet Nagar on Monday evening, before calling the police himself to confess to the killing, senior officers said.

When Kapoor visited to enquire about Thapar’s well-being, the two argued. Kapoor reportedly told him to “mend his ways or he will throw him out of the house. This enraged Thapar, and he strangulated Kapoor in a fit of rage, police said. (Representational image)

Deputy commissioner of police (central) Nidhin Valsan said the accused, identified as Neeraj Thapar of Ranjeet Nagar, was arrested from the scene. The victim was identified as Arun Kapoor, a resident of Old Rajinder Nagar.

According to a senior police officer, the control room received a call around 5.30pm in which the caller said he had killed his uncle—his paternal aunt’s husband—at his Ranjeet Nagar residence. Responding to the call, officers reached the ground-floor home to find Kapoor lying dead and Thapar sitting beside him. “He was immediately taken into custody and taken to Ranjeet Nagar police station,” the officer said.

Kapoor was taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead on arrival.

During questioning, Thapar allegedly told police that his father, Rajinder Thapar—who ran several small businesses—died three years ago, leaving behind the Ranjeet Nagar home where Neeraj lives. Family members, including his Chandigarh-based aunt Geeta Suri, told police that Thapar was an only child and has been unemployed his entire life.He never supported his father in his business and he lost mother 10 years ago. Thapar’s father had three sisters.

One aunt lives in Chandigarh, while the other two live in Old Rajinder Nagar, married to two brothers who own a four-storey bungalow. Kapoor was one of those uncles.

“It was revealed that Thapar’s father feared Thapar would sell the house. So he willed the Ranjeet Nagar house in the name of his three sisters. But Thapar’s aunts let him stay there,” the officer said.

The two aunts and their husbands regularly provided for Thapar, even giving him a monthly allowance, police added.

“On Monday, Thapar’s uncle Kapoor, a property dealer with several family businesses, went to check on Thapar when the incident took place,” the officer said.

When Kapoor visited to enquire about Thapar’s well-being, the two argued. Kapoor reportedly told him to “mend his ways or he will throw him out of the house. “This enraged Thapar, and he strangulated Kapoor in a fit of rage,” the officer said.

Thapar then phoned his aunt in Chandigarh to confess, and she alerted other relatives in Delhi. But Thapar had already informed police himself. “He was arrested from the spot and further probe is underway,” the officer said.