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Delhi: 25-year-old held for murder of man who resisted robbery
Police had earlier suspected that an ice pick was used in the murder, but a further probe revealed that the accused used a knife with a thin blade.
A 25-year-old man, who stabbed to death an off-duty security guard during a robbery in northeast Delhi’s Khajuri Chowk last week, was arrested on Friday, police officers aware of the case said on Saturday. According to police, the accused was addicted to narcotics, and committed the crime as he was desperate for money to buy drugs.
Police had earlier suspected that an ice pick was used in the murder, but a further probe revealed that the accused used a knife with a thin blade, said Joy Tirkey, deputy commissioner of police (northeast).
Police identified the suspect as Pradeep Mishra, who lived near a temple in Kashmere Gate. Mishra worked odd jobs and survived on free meals served to the homeless in the area, Tirkey said. Police said Mishra’s family had broken ties with him around 2017 due to his addiction to heroin.
According to Tirkey, Mishra had turned to crime to fund his addiction, and has several cases of robbery and snatching registered against him.
Mishra’s victim, identified by a single name Varun, lived in Sonia Vihar and worked as a security guard. Varun was visiting his sister in Khajuri Khas on April 13 when he was attacked.
Tirkey said, “On April 13, Mishra decided to rob someone and came across the deceased walking on a busy road in Khajuri Chowk.” The DCP said Varun resisted the robbery, which prompted the suspect to stab him multiple times.
After the case came to light, police rounded up a few suspects before realising that a local homeless man was not seen around since the day of the incident, said Tirkey. Police then later tracked Mishra down to a temple in Kashmere Gate before arresting him on Friday.
Police recovered the victim’s wallet, but the weapon is still missing, police said.
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