Delhi: 3 held for killing driver with spiked drink, stealing his e-rickshaw

Two brothers and their cousin were arrested for allegedly killing a driver with spiked drink for his e-rickshaw in outer Delhi’s Mangolpuri, police said on Friday.

The three, according to the police, ran a gang targeting specifically e-rickshaw drivers across the city.

Last month, the accused allegedly gave a cold drink mixed with intoxicating substances to Akash, the victim, before decamping with his e-rickshaw and mobile phone. The driver died during treatment.

The arrested men were identified as brothers Zakir, alias Sultan, and Asif, aged 30 and 26, and their cousin, 39-year-old Yousuf, alias Bhure, who allegedly received the stolen e-rickshaws.

The police recovered 10 e-rickshaws, including Akash’s, and 47 tool items, including screwdrivers and a grinder, from their possession.

On October 27, police received information about an unidentified man lying unconscious in Mangolpuri.

Identified as Akash, a Mangolpuri resident, the man was rushed to Sanjay Gandhi Memorial Hospital, where he died, the police said.

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An inquiry revealed that Akash worked as an e-rickshaw driver and operated between P-Block, Mangolpuri Red Light and Sultanpuri. He had left home for work on October 26, but his mobile phone became unreachable around 5 pm that day.

After an autopsy at LNJP Hospital, police registered an FIR under Section 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) of the BNS and launched an investigation.

The police examined CCTV footage, reconstructed the victim’s movements and analysed technical evidence to trace his route before and after the incident.

The investigation led the team to Zakir, who was apprehended from Jafrabad.

During interrogation, Zakir disclosed that he and his brother Asif used to identify e-rickshaw drivers, offer them cold drinks laced with sedatives or tablets and steal their belongings and vehicles.

The two allegedly followed the same method with Akash, the police said.

After stealing the vehicles, the brothers would change their number plates and hand them over to Yousuf, who would rent them out.

According to the police, Zakir was previously involved in a case registered at Bhajanpura Police Station under the BNS and Arms Act and Yousuf was booked at Jafrabad Police Station. Asif has no previous criminal involvement.

All recovered e-rickshaws were from different areas of the city, the police said.