Trio shoot teen dead week before 18th birthday, minor apprehended

A 17-year-old boy was shot dead in outer Delhi’s Bhalswa Dairy on Thursday night, less than a kilometre away from the place, where, a group of six men, an hour and a half ago, had waylaid a 42-year-old property dealer and fired at least three bullets at him, killing him on spot.

The property dealer was shot dead around 9.30pm, around 300 metres from his home, while the teenager was killed around 11pm, in a lane, around 200 metres from his home.

The teenager, a class 10 dropout, was shot eight days before his 18th birthday and his elder sister’s wedding, both on June 21.

Police and the family of the teenager gave conflicting reasons for the crime. While the family alleged that the boy was killed because he had taken on some teenagers who sold drugs, liquor and ran a betting racket, the police said the boy was killed by three boys for often “assaulting and bullying” them.

Police said the main suspect, who allegedly shot the 17-year-old boy on his head, was apprehended within 24 hours of the crime, while two others are still absconding.

“We questioned around 20 persons and ascertained the exact sequence of events leading to the teenager’s murder. One minor boy has been apprehended. Efforts are on to nab the other two. The pistol used in the crime has been recovered. The source through which the teenager arranged the weapon has also been identified. We will nail that weapon supplier as well,” Gaurav Sharma, deputy commissioner of police (outer north), said.

The teenager’s family members said that he had left home around 10.30pm to buy food from a nearby eatery. Around 11pm, two of his friends informed his father that he was shot by some boys.

“I rushed to the spot and found my son bleeding and unconscious. There was a bullet entry wound in the back of his head, but no exit wound. We rushed him to Babu Jagjivan Ram Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead,” said the teenager’s father, a transporter.

The boy’s sister, who was scheduled to get married, alleged that the same group of boys involved in his murder had stabbed him a month ago because they did not like him opposing their illegal businesses. “One of the attackers is the brother-in-law of a local criminal. They all sell drugs, liquor and run betting at their shop in the neighbourhood. My other brother had started spending time with them. We, my brother, in particular, did not like him in their company. Two months ago, they had assaulted him in public view because he had slapped him (his brother) for accompanying them,” said the sister.

The police, however, refuted the family’s allegations by saying that the teenager was murdered over personal enmity. They said the suspect and the deceased had a fight three days ago as well, over the “bullying” issue.

“On Thursday night, the two groups of teenagers again fought, during which the teenager pulled out a pistol and fired at the 17-year-old boy. He died on way to the hospital,” a police officer said.

First Published:
Jun 15, 2019 05:00 IST

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