Delhi Police have taken four youths into custody in connection with the alleged gang rape and murder of a 16-year-old girl whose decomposed body was found in a field in the Swaroop Nagar area, with investigators using more than 50 CCTV cameras to trace a tempo linked to the case.
Police received information on Sunday morning about a body lying near Kushak Road. Investigators said the body was significantly decomposed and had injuries, while the face and abdomen were disfigured and the right hand was missing. Police said the body appeared to have been attacked by animals after it was dumped in the field.
The girl could not initially be identified. Police later contacted local residents and established her identity. Her family’s statement and post-mortem findings led to the registration of a case involving rape, murder and destruction of evidence. Investigators also found multiple stab wounds, according to the report.
The investigation then turned to CCTV footage from the surrounding area. Police examined more than 50 cameras and identified a tempo that had been moving near the location around the suspected time of the crime. Local enquiries helped investigators trace the vehicle and establish that it was frequently used by the 17-year-old brother of the tempo driver.
CCTV footage reportedly showed four young men inside the vehicle. Police identified them as 19-year-old Shivam Ganesh and three minors aged 17 and 16. An overnight search operation led to their apprehension in Swaroop Nagar. Police also recovered two knives and clothing allegedly linked to the crime.
According to investigators, the victim had gone to meet the 17-year-old accused, whom she appeared to know. Police allege that he sexually assaulted her before calling three friends, who allegedly joined in the assault. Investigators are still examining the precise location where the assault took place.
Police further allege that the group took the girl to a field after the assault and stabbed her multiple times before attempting to conceal the body with leaves and mud. The suspects allegedly left the area in the tempo. Investigators are continuing to establish the sequence of events and the individual role of each accused.
Police said the girl had left school and moved to Swaroop Nagar several years ago. She was reportedly looking for work to help support her parents and was living separately from them. No missing-person report had been filed because her family was unaware that she had left home and had been missing for two days.
Authorities said forensic and technical evidence was being examined, while the recovered material had been preserved for further analysis. Investigators are also examining whether anyone else was involved. The identities of the minor suspects have not been disclosed.
