Gaurav Chandel murder: Family hopeful new policing system will speed up investigation

For the family of Gaurav Chandel, who was found murdered in the early hours of January 7 a stone’s throw away from his house and Parthala Chowk police post, the

For the family of Gaurav Chandel, who was found murdered in the early hours of January 7 a stone’s throw away from his house and Parthala Chowk police post, the new commisionerate system offers hope that those responsible for the death of the 40-year-old will get arrested.

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Chandel, who was returning home from his workplace in Gurugram, had spoken to wife Preeti around 10.30pm on January 6 and said he was near the Parthala roundabout. Thereafter he went incommunicado for five hours as his family tried to track him using his phone’s location before finding his body around 4am on the service lane between Parthala and the Hindon bridge. His location, which kept changing, was traced under the Phase 3 and Bisrakh police jurisdictions. The victim had suffered two gunshot wounds to the head, among other injuries, the autopsy report said.

The family had filed a complaint against the Bisrakh police for negligence before former SSP Vaibhav Krishna following which the Bisrakh SHO was suspended on Friday along with two sub-inspectors and one sub-inspector from the Phase 3 police station.

“All the developments and help from various officials and local leaders is appreciated. But for us what matters the most at this time is to see those responsible for my brother’s murder get punished. Hopefully, the new police structure will keep this a priority,” victim’s younger brother Sidharth Chandel said.

Gaurav’s family also said that with more police personnel being deployed under the new commisionerate system, more focus could be given to the case.

Since the incident, his family and friends carried out a candlelight march on Thursday to demand swift action from the police and to highlight the lack of CCTV cameras and streetlights in the area. Residents of Gaur City had carried out a mass protest on Sunday morning demanding justice for Chandel. New commissioner of police (CP) Alok Singh has also visited the family twice in the last week.

The CP on his visit to the family had earlier said that police is working on solving the case as soon as possible. So far, investigations have not led to any concrete conclusions, even as four special teams are working on it.

“The teams are working round the clock in Noida as well as in Haryana, Rajasthan and Delhi. We have traced Chandel’s route and are working on probable escape routes of the perpetrators. Efforts are also on to trace the stolen car,” superintendent of police (city) Ankur Aggarwal said.

The Noida police have also sought technical support from the Special Task Force.

“Last time we went to the police office in Surajpur, we were assured that we will see results in the next two-three days. We are now waiting for an update on any development in the investigation,” Sidharth said.