Having failed to return Rs50,000, grocer kills 17-year-old in Seemapuri

New Delhi

New Delhi

A 17-year-old boy was killed in a park in east Delhi’s Seemapuri in the early hours of Sunday by his friend who did not want to return R50,000 he owed him, police said after arresting the suspect.

Amit Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (Shahdara), identified the murdered boy by his first name, Sahil, and the alleged killer as 21-year-old Arshad.

The officer said Sahil had lost his father a few years ago and lived in Seemapuri with his mother who does odd jobs to run the family. The boy studied at a local government school.

A few weeks ago, Sahil’s mother had bought him a scooter and the boy would go on joyrides every night and be out for long hours. So, when Sahil rode out from his home around 11.45 pm on Saturday and did not return until morning, his mother did not find it suspicious.

“Around 6 am, some visitors to the park found the boy lying dead with injuries to his neck and face. They alerted a police patrol team nearby after which we identified the boy. His belongings were intact and his scooter was found parked outside the park,” said the DCP.

The police then began investigating who were the people last seen with Sahil and rounded up some local youngsters. Arshad was one of them. “During questioning, he broke down and confessed. He had killed the boy using a blade that we have recovered from him,” said the DCP.

Identifying Arshad as a local grocer, the officer said that he had earlier borrowed R50,000 cash from Sahil, but wasn’t able to return the money. “So, he decided to kill the boy and get done with the debt,” said the DCP.

On Saturday night, when Sahil rode out, Arshad met him on the way and hopped on to his scooter, said the officer. They went to the local park to have a chat during which Arshad allegedly killed him.