Govindpuri double murder: Woman’s cousin held after encounter

Delhi Police arrested a 28-year-old cousin for the double murder of a woman and her son after a robbery, following a shootout in Tughlakabad.

Three days after a 38-year-old woman and her 13-year-old son were found stabbed at their south Delhi’s Govindpuri residence and ₹10 lakh and jewellery worth about ₹20 lakh stolen, the Delhi Police said they had solved the double murder after arresting the accused, her 28-year-old cousin. following a brief exchange of fire near a park in Tughlakabad Extension in the early hours of Saturday.

Govindpuri double murder: Woman’s cousin held after encounter

The accused, who is a habitual offender from south Delhi’s Sangam Vihar and also a drug addict, suffered two bullets – one in each knee – during the encounter near Ghati Wala Park around 2.30 am, deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Hemant Tiwari said.

During the encounter, the accused fired four rounds, of which, one hit the bulletproof vest of a sub-inspector.

The DCP said during the interrogation, the accused revealed that he killed his cousin, Sharda Sahu, and her 13-year-old son due to personal resentment as she kept persisting him against drugs and criminal activist, something he never liked her doing.

“A few days before the crime, Sharda had allegedly slapped the accused during an argument. The accused felt humiliated and planned to kill his cousin and commit a robbery, for which he purchased a sharp knife from south Delhi,” said the DCP.

On Wednesday, around 7 pm, he reached Sharda’s house and knew her husband, Vishnu Sahu, who works as a fruits and vegetable vendor at a weekly market, comes late in the evening.

“He asked asked for ₹ 2 lakh cash from Sharda which she refused. In a fit of rage he whip out the knife and slit Sharda’s throat and stabbed her at least 11 times. He then stabbed her son nearly seven times, killing both on the spot,” said the DCP.

The accused knew the family had kept the money and jewellery for purchasing a property.

Based on the husband’s complaint, a case under sections 103 (murder) and 309(6) (theft after preparation for causing death, hurt or restraint) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered at the Govindpuri police station.

The DCP said the CCTV footage led to the accused identification and received a tip-off of him near the park. Police asked him to surrender, but he allegedly pulled out a country-made pistol and opened fire at the raiding party, the officer added.