Cops probe Sarai Rohilla deaths

Man found dead near railway tracks, while niece’s body found in flat

In a suspected case of murder followed by suicide, a 32-year-old man’s body was found along the railway tracks in Sarai Rohilla area. Hours later, his niece’s body was found in his flat in Inderpuri area of West district earlier this week.

The police said that the victim, Mehrunnisa (22), was a BA student of DU’s Janki Devi College. She lived with her uncle Mehndi Hasan in a rented flat at Inderpuri. Hasan was preparing for Civil Services Examinations and was learnt to be depressed over his failure to crack the tough exam, said a police officer. The mutilated body of Hasan was found on the railway tracks near Sarai Rohilla railway station on April 4.

Whether the death was accidental, as evident prima facie, is still being investigated.

The family first learnt about Hasan’s death from the local police. His bother, Danish, identified the body. Danish recovered the key of the Inderpuri flat from his pocket. When he reached the house around 10.30 pm, he found Mehrunnisa lying on a mattress kept on the floor in one of the rooms.

According to the police, there were strangulation and nail marks on her neck.

Hasan has emerged as the prime suspect, but the police is yet to connect the dots and the motive behind his alleged action.

“We have learnt that Hasan had passed the preliminary exam of Civil Services, but was unable to crack it since then. He was said to be depressed and used to fight with her niece over money. The family used to send money for their expenses in Delhi in Mehrunnisa’s account because Hasan had a habit of drinking,” said the officer.

“The angle being probed now is that he first murdered Mehrunnisa and then jumped in front of the tracks,” said deputy commissioner of police (West) Vijay Kumar.