Released from observation home a week ago, minor stabs man to death in Delhi

The DCP said that the boy was released from a juvenile home a week ago after spending a few months inside in an attempt to murder case

A 16-year-old boy, who was recently released from an observation home, allegedly stabbed a 29-year-old man to death for “humiliating” him in Nabi Karim in central Delhi in the early hours of Friday, the Delhi Police said, adding that the boy walked to the local police station right after the crime and surrendered himself.

The victim was identified as Amit Kumar. The police said that Kumar also had a series of criminal cases registered against him. (Representational image)

Deputy commissioner of police (central), Sanjay Kumar Sain, said the boy has been booked for murder while his associate who assisted him in carrying out the crime is at large. The associate is believed to be an adult and his age will be ascertained after he is apprehended.

The DCP said the boy was released from a juvenile home a week ago after spending a few months inside in an attempt-to-murder case. The victim was identified as Amit Kumar. The police said that Kumar also had a series of criminal cases registered against him.

Kumar was a resident of Deoria in Uttar Pradesh and would stay at Multani Dhanda in Nabi Karim while visiting Delhi in connection with the legal requirements for a host of criminal cases registered against him in the national capital, the DCP said.

On Wednesday, Kumar and the boy were allegedly involved in a quarrel. “The boy has told us that he and Kumar had some issues between them. Two days before the murder, Kumar allegedly humiliated him and snatched a few hundred rupees he was carrying,” the DCP added. The boy was seeking revenge since then, police said. Around 1.30am on Friday, the duo allegedly caught hold of Kumar in the bylanes of Multani Dhanda and stabbed him to death.

“We have recovered the knife and the boy’s blood-stained clothes. A team is out to nab the adult accused,” he said.

According to National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, minors were involved in over seven crimes per day in Delhi between 2019 and 2021. From 2019 to 2021, Delhi saw 7,881 crimes in which minors were involved, accounting for 8.5% of all crimes committed by minors across India.

Delhi also led the country in terms of the rate of crimes involving minors. Nearly 48 crimes per 100,000 population of the Capital involved children in 2021 as against just seven in the country, NCRB data showed.

Ranjana Prasad, a member of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights, said that lack of education and substance abuse are among the factors drive children to commit crimes. “We are making efforts to send such children to schools,” she said.