Tensions high in Gokulpuri as 19-yr-old murdered by two men

A 19-year-old man was allegedly murdered in northeast Delhi’s Gokulpuri, police said on Tuesday in a crime that briefly sparked tensions in the area

A 19-year-old man was allegedly murdered in northeast Delhi’s Gokulpuri, police said on Tuesday in a crime that briefly sparked tensions in the area.

Police said that a case under section 103(1) and 3(5) of the BNS. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The crime was allegedly committed by two brothers of a minor girl that the 19-year-old man – identified as Himanshu by the police – was allegedly stalking, said a police officer, requesting anonymity.

Deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Ashish Mishra said that the victim was identified as Himanshu alias Chiku, who uses only one name, and the accused were identified as Shahrukh Khan,19 and Sahil Khan, 22. All stay in the Sanjay Colony area of Gokulpuri.

The officer quoted above said that Himanshu was in a relationship with a 16-year-old girl, and the two accused men told investigators that they attacked him because he was stalking their sister after she ended the relationship.

“We are still investigating the motive,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.

Police said that a case under sections 103(1) (murder) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) was registered and both Shahrukh and Sahil were arrested.

Despite repeated calls and messages, DCP Mishra refused to comment about any possible motive in the murder.

“Around 9.14pm on Monday, a stabbing incident was reported at Gokulpuri police station. When police reached the spot, they were informed that the victim Himanshu had been taken to Guru Teg Bahadur hospital. At the facility, the doctors declared him dead,” Mishra said.

The victim’s father, Joginder said that around 8.30pm on Monday, Himanshu stepped out of the house to buy a packet of biscuits.

“He went out of the house saying he was going to get biscuits but a little further ahead, the girl called him. When he walked in her direction, her brothers caught hold of him. One of them held him by his hair and the other stabbed him eight-ten times,” said the 45-year-old, a contractual labourer with the Municipal Corporation of Delhi.

Himanshu allegedly ran towards his house after the stabbing when his mother Laxmi, 43, and brother Aryavan, 22, saw him. “He was about five streets away from home. He managed to cross three streets while running back and then collapsed,” the father said.

Joginder said the girl’s family was against the two “talking to each other”, and her brothers, on at least three occasions in the last few months, allegedly thrashed Himanshu. He didn’t say if the family lodged a police complaint.

Joginder said about 10 days ago, the families met each other and decided that the two will not talk to each other. “We met and both the families told the kids to not talk to each other,” he said.

On Monday afternoon, the girl’s mother allegedly went with her to Himanshu’s house and told the family that she was going to lodge a complaint against Himanshu on charges of molestation.

“Police came to our house on Monday evening and said that they had received a complaint against Himanshu. They asked us to come to the police station. We were planning to visit shortly after but this incident happened,” Joginder said.

A second senior police officer said the two accused told investigators that Himanshu began stalking their sister after the relationship ended. “The brothers said that the two were in a relationship a while ago, but after the girl’s family objected to it, she ended the relationship. They said that Himanshu started stalking her, which is why they killed him. We are verifying their claims,” the officer said.

Mishra was unavailable to comment on whether such a complaint was received.

On Tuesday, Himanshu’s family, neighbours and supporters staged a protest outside Gokulpuri police station. After the incident, local police and paramilitary personnel were deployed in the area for a few hours to maintain law and order.