Four minors kill 16yrold for dating friend’s cousin

The accused had earlier warned the victim to end the relationship; on Friday they tied him to a chair, taped his mouth, slit his throat and left him to bleed to death in Kanjhawala

NEW DELHI: Refusal to call off his relationship with his friend’s cousin despite repeated threats was what cost 16-year-old Jatin his life in outer Delhi’s Kanjhawala on Friday, police said after apprehending four juveniles allegedly involved in the brutal murder.

Jatin was found with his throat slit in an abandoned house in Kanjhawala on Friday. He had been tied to a chair using wires and his mouth was taped. The police on Sunday apprehended four boys, aged between 16 and 17, for the murder.

Explaining the reason for the brutal nature of the murder, Virendra Singh Meena, additional DCP (outer), said that the main killer could not digest that Jatin was in love with his cousin.

“It was around two months ago that one of the accused boys had learnt of the relationship between his sister and Jatin. He had threatened Jatin many times to part ways with his sister. He had even warned his sister, but the couple did not break up,” said Meena.

So, the girl’s 16-year-old brother roped in three of his juvenile friends and they allegedly planned to kill Jatin. They chose his abandoned house to execute the crime before they lured Jatin from a public park where he had gone for his usual evening jogging.

Once they reached the abandoned house, the five first had marijuana together, said Meena. They then verbally abused him and informed him that he was going to be killed for ignoring their warnings. Jatin pleaded with them to spare him, but they taped his mouth, tied him to a chair and slit his throat.

Leaving him there to bleed to death, the alleged killers visited a minor friend in the neighbourhood and told him about the murder.

The boys wanted to escape and needed money. But the friend, who happened to be the son of an assistant sub-inspector, denied any help and told his father about the crime.

The policeman immediately informed the Kanjhawala police station about the murder after which a team reached the house. Jatin had already bled to death by then.

Since police already knew the identity of the killers, they approached the family members of the suspects. One of the killers contacted his family for help with their escape plan. That gave away his location and led to the apprehension of the four boys.

Jatin’s family also claimed they were unaware of his relationship. “He had been threatened by a youth in the neighbourhood in the recent past, but we did not know he was in love with anyone,” said his sister, Nisha.

She said Jatin had passed his Class 10 exam with 57% marks and had taken admission into Class 11 just a day before his murder.

“He wanted to become a commando and spent a lot of time on physical fitness and body building. We could not afford to pay for his gym fees, so he would exercise in the park from where he was abducted,” said Nisha.

Working as a security guard in the neighbourhood, Jatin’s father struggled to run his family that included his wife and five children.

“Jatin was our ray of hope. He was excellent at sports and represented his school at chess championships. He was also a good boxer. Maybe that’s why the four boys had to restrain him during his murder,” said his mother, Sudesh.

It was around two months ago that one of the accused boys had learnt of the relationship between his sister and Jatin. He had threatened Jatin many times to part ways with his sister. He had even warned his sister, but the couple did not break up. VIRENDRA SINGH MEENA, additional DCP (outer)