Shahbad Dairy Murder: Probe reveals ‘break-up’ enraged accused to slaughter girl

Police have revealed grisly details of the brutal murder of Sakshi, a minor girl and resident of northwest Delhi, who was stabbed over 20 times and bludgeoned to death with a cement slab by the accused, in front of dozens of passers by who did not come to her rescue.

In the viral clip, accused Sahil can be seen repeatedly stabbing Sakshi with a dagger and kicking her. As she falls on the ground, he picked up a cement slab that was right next to her and began bludgeoning her. While one person came to stop him, others passed by the crime spot at Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy, watching the dastardly attack on the 16-year-old.

The 20-year-old accused had fled the spot soon after committing the murder, and was arrested from Bulandshahr after a call from his aunt to his father was traced to a location in Uttar Pradesh

After preliminary probe, police on Monday have revealed that the accused was enraged after his break-up with the victim and the fight between them a day earlier triggered the horrific act.

Officials said that Sahil suspected the victim of having an affair with her ex-boyfriend and had allegedly threatened her a few days ago that he would kill her. Initial probe also revealed that Sahil had suspicion that she had started talking to her former boyfriend and got into a relationship with him. He had also apparently threatened to kill her.

In all, the girl, Sakshi, was found to have 34 injury marks on her body and her skull was ruptured. The final autopsy report is awaited, police said.

“During investigation, police checked the CCTV footage of the area and spoke to the victim’s family who said she was going around with a boy named Sahil. We reached his place and the boy was found absconding. Technical surveillance was mounted. We questioned his relatives and worked on all technical aspects.

“A phone by his aunt (bua) to his father informing him about Sahil’s sudden arrival helped police to nab him from Bulandshahr in Uttar Pradesh. His medical examination was conducted and by Monday night, he will reach Delhi, following which police will further interrogate him,” a senior police officer told news agency PTI.

The accused had switched off his mobile phone after the incident and headed for his aunt’s house in Bulandshahr in a bus, police said.

Another police officer, part of the investigation, said when Sahil was questioned about his relationship with the victim, he said he was with her since June 2021.

According to the police, there was a delay of about 25 minutes in informing the police about the incident. None of the bystanders made a PCR call and it was a police informer who alerted the police about the incident, following which a police team was rushed to the spot around 9.30 pm.

Police said the victim had told her parents that she had been staying with one of her friends, Neetu, who has two children and lives in one-room set, police said. Sakshi was staying with her friend for the past 15 days.

The girl had stopped talking to Sahil a few days ago, and had had a fight with him a day before she was killed, they said.

“The girl was in relationship with Sahil since 2021, but of late they often fought over things and shared a strained relationship. She eventually stopped talking to him and wanted to end her relationship with him, but he kept approaching her and wanted to reunite with her,” the officer said.

“… Even on Saturday, they had a fight which further worsened their relation. This could be the reason behind the murder,” he said.

Police are also trying to know more about a tattoo the victim had on her hand bearing the name “Praveen” which they say could also be a cause of frequent fights between Sahil and the girl and her eventual killing.

(With PTI inputs)