Week after man’s charred body found without hands, police arrest 27-year-old suspect

A 27-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for allegedly murdering another during the riots in north-east Delhi’s Shiv Vihar on February 27.

A 27-year-old man was arrested on Saturday for allegedly murdering another during the riots in north-east Delhi’s Shiv Vihar on February 27.

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Mohammad Shehnawaz is suspected of murdering 26-year-old Dilbar Singh after chopping of his hands, police said. Singh’s charred body was found from a gutted sweet shop godown in Chaman Park two days later. Police are yet to recover his hands.

Police said Shehnawaz was leading the mob that had set ablaze a book shop and the sweets shop godown from where Singh’s body was found.

Deputy commissioner of police (crime) Rajesh Deo said Shehnawaz is a resident of lane number 22 in Shiv Vihar, one of the worst violence-hit areas of north-east Delhi. He runs a betel (paan) shop in the neighbourhood.

“Shehnawaz has been booked for murder, rioting, armed with deadly weapon and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code,” the DCP said.

Police said that Singh was a native of Uttarakhand and was a helper in the godown.

His employers claimed that Singh was with two other employees at the time, said police. While the two employees managed to escape, Singh ran to the terrace but could not escape the building.

A police officer investigating the case, but wishing not to be named, said Shehnawaz and several others allegedly pelted stones, ransacked and torched several shops at Shiv Vihar Tiraha in the riots.

“Eye witnesses and locals said Shahnawaz entered a book store and a sweet shop godown in Chaman Park and torched both buildings on February 24. Two days later, a body was recovered from the godown. Both hands of the deceased were chopped and his legs were charred. His hands could not be found,” the officer said.

During the probe, eye witnesses identified Shahnawaz as the leader of the mob. “We got his police remand and will question him to identify others who were with him. We are also questioning him on what weapons they used and where did they source them,” the officer said, requesting anonymity.

A total of 731 cases, including 48 under the Arms Act, had been registered until Friday in connection with the riots in north-east Delhi that has left at least 53 people dead and more than 350 injured. Two special investigation teams (SITs) probing the cases, along with the police, have so far have detained or arrested 1,983 people in connection with the cases.