New Delhi: Delhi Police are planning to file a chargesheet within a week in the alleged gang-rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl in Swaroop Nagar. Investigators will also move an application seeking to have the three juvenile accused, aged 16 and 17, tried as adults, Hindustan Times reported.
The case came to light after the girl’s highly decomposed and mutilated body was found in an open field near Kushak Road in the Swaroop Nagar area on September 13. Police allege that four people were involved in the crime, including a 19-year-old man and three juveniles.
Police To Seek Adult Trial For Three Juveniles
According to Hindustan Times, police are preparing what an officer described as a “watertight” chargesheet and intend to request that the three juveniles be tried as adults, citing the alleged offence’s classification as heinous.
The adult accused, identified as 19-year-old Shivam alias Sudama, has been arrested and sent to judicial custody. The three minors were produced before the Juvenile Justice Board and sent to a correction home for boys, police said.
Investigators have reportedly recovered documents, including birth and school certificates, to establish the juveniles’ ages. Police are also considering bone ossification tests to verify their exact ages, Hindustan Times reported.
Girl Allegedly Gang-Raped And Stabbed
According to the police investigation, the crime allegedly took place in the early hours of September 11. One of the juveniles, reportedly known to the girl, had allegedly arranged to meet her before the other accused became involved.
Police allege that the group sexually assaulted the girl and later stabbed her multiple times after she threatened to report the assault. Her body was then allegedly dumped and concealed in an open field near Kushak Road.
The body was discovered on September 13 in a highly decomposed condition. Hindustan Times reported that it had been partially mauled by animals, while a tattoo on the girl’s left arm helped investigators establish her identity.
Police are continuing to verify the individual roles of the accused and the precise sequence of events.
CCTV Footage Helped Police Trace Suspects
Investigators reportedly examined footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras as part of the probe. According to Hindustan Times, a goods vehicle seen moving suspiciously near the field became a key lead.
Police traced the vehicle to Khadda Colony. Questioning linked to the vehicle reportedly led investigators to the four suspects during an operation around September 15–16.
Two knives and clothing allegedly connected to the crime were recovered, along with the vehicle, according to reports by Hindustan Times and India Today. Police are continuing forensic and technical verification as they prepare the chargesheet.
Investigation And Legal Proceedings Continue
The case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. The exact sections cited have varied across media reports.
While police plan to submit the chargesheet within a week, the request to try the juveniles as adults will be considered through the legal process. Investigators are also examining the evidence to establish the role of each accused and whether anyone else was involved.
