The Indian Express (Delhi Edition)
‘Accused was angry girl broke up with him’
17-YR-OLD’S MURDER IN NAJAFGARH
Titled “Don’t Let This Symbolism Kill Your Heart”, this mural in Lodhi Road has been done by Iranian street artist Nafir. It talks of the subjugation of women by society, through cultural references or traditions, especially in the eastern part of the world. Text by Somya Lakhani; Photo by Amit Mehra TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Shubham Gupta, who was arrested from Saket on Friday for allegedly murdering a 17-year-old girl, told police during interrogation that he became infuriated when the victim told him she was “free to choose whoever she wants”.
According to police, Shubham said during interrogation that he was in love with the girl, but suspected she was also “involved” with someone else.
Police said Shubham initially tried to mislead investigators, but broke down on sustained interrogation and told police that he had a heated argument with the girl over her friendship with one Nitin right before she was murdered.
“Shubham told police he met the girl on a social networking website and claimed he had been approached by her. After several meetings, they became good friend and entered into a relationship. But Shubham became suspicious when he saw Nitin calling her repeatedly and asking her where she was,” police said.
On December 20, when Shubham went to drop the girl at her house, he saw Nitin standing with the girl’s mother and got rattled, police said. “The accused got into argument with the girl as well as Nitin. After a point, the girl told Shubham that she doesn’t want to be with him, and that she is free to choose whoever she wants. This angered Shubham and he allegedly shot her,” police said.
Police have also arrested Shubham’s friend Yogesh, who owned the gun used in the murder. Yogesh was driving around Shubham and the girl in his Mercedes before the murder. Both men have been sent to three-day police custody.
JCP (southwestern range) Dependra Pathak said Shubham had been hiding at his friend’s place in Tughlakabad ever since the murder. “We received a tip-off on Friday that he will come to Saket,” Pathak said.