Four people, including three juveniles, were arrested on Thursday, September 17, 2026, in connection with the rape and murder of a minor girl whose body was discovered in an open field in Swaroop Nagar, north Delhi, on September 13. The body was found in the morning near Jaipal Rana’s field along Lal Boundary, Kushak Road, and was initially unidentified. Police reached the site promptly, preserved the body, and conducted a post‑mortem examination.
The prime accused is Shivam, 19, who is also known as Sudama and Chuchu, a resident of Khadda Colony in Swaroop Nagar. According to Outer North DCP Shobhit D. Saxena, Shivam and the victim were in a relationship and all five individuals involved were neighbourhood friends. An argument among the group led to the sexual assault and subsequent murder of the girl. The case has been booked under Sections 103(1), 238(a), 65(1) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as Section 6 of the POCSO Act.
Investigators examined more than 50 CCTV cameras and identified a suspected tempo moving near the crime scene during the relevant time. Although the vehicle’s registration number was initially unclear, the police tracked its movement across multiple cameras and correlated the footage with field verification. A night‑long search operation on the nights of September 15 and 16 located the tempo parked in Khadda Colony, where the driver was questioned. This led to the apprehension of the four suspects. Two knives used in the crime, clothes worn by the accused, and the suspected tempo were recovered.
Police are still investigating whether the accused were under the influence of alcohol or other intoxicants at the time of the incident. Further inquiry is underway to establish the sequence of events and determine each apprehended person’s role in the crime.
