A 17-year-old boy’s murder in Delhi sparked protests, leading to police action and political blame over the city’s law and order situation.
The daytime murder of a 17-year-old boy in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur on Thursday snowballed into a late night protest by the teen’s family and neighbours, leading to the deployment of security forces in the area and interventions by the state’s top political leaders.
Police said Kunal (who went by one name) was killed in a revenge attack, alluding to an earlier altercation between an associate of his and one of the suspects, as they arrested a woman who allegedly led the gang of boys behind the murder.
The victim’s mother said he was waylaid and stabbed multiple times by the accused in the J-block market of the locality, around 50m from their home, at around 6pm. “My husband ran towards the street where Kunal was being stabbed, but by the time he reached, the attackers were fleeing. He [her husband] saw four-five boys and a woman running,” Parveen Devi, 45, said.
Senior AAP leader and Leader of Opposition in the Delhi assembly Atishi blamed the BJP governments at the Centre and in the Capital.
“The murder of a 17-year-old youth in Seelampur is another example of the deteriorating law and order situation in Delhi. What is Delhi Police doing? What is Home Minister Amit Shah doing? What is the double-engine government doing?” she posted on X.
Delhi chief minister Rekha Gupta said the authorities will ensure that the family of the victim gets justice. “I have talked to the Commissioner of Police. The police are making all efforts, and I hope the accused will be arrested soon,” she said.
Police initially rounded up at least four people, including a woman identified as 25-year-old Zikra Khan, who goes by the moniker “Lady Don” on social media.
Later in the evening, police officially arrested Khan. “During questioning, she confessed she was involved in the murder. She said that the reason was revenge over an attack on her cousin in November by Kunal’s associate Laala,” additional deputy commissioner of police (northeast) Sandeep Lamba said. Two boys were seen attacking Kunal in CCTV footage, police said, adding that they were on the run.
Police said she was arrested in March for brandishing a weapon in a social media post.
The teen’s family said he was receiving threats from the accused over the attack on Khan’s cousin but maintained that Kunal was not involved in the incident. Police officers said that they did not receive any complaints about the alleged threats.
As the outrage over the killing mounted on Friday, local residents took to the street in protest and blocked traffic with members of right-wing outfits also joining the demonstration. As tension gripped the locality, authorities increased deployment and posted two companies of Rapid Action Force (RAF) in the area. “There is fear, and we want our kids to go away from here,” said one of the protesters on condition of anonymity.
BJP MP from northeast Delhi Manoj Tiwari said the people’s anger was justified but urged the local residents to maintain peace. “Anger among people is natural, but people of the area should maintain restraint. Efforts should be made to ensure that police action is not hindered,” he said.