Congress leader’s murder: Delhi Police analysing CCTV footage, questioning suspects

Delhi Police on Saturday said the accused in the murder of a local Congress leader in south Delhi’s Begumpur area will be arrested soon, as multiple teams are analysing CCTV camera footage from the area and questioning suspects.

Lakhpat Singh Kataria, 55, a property dealer from Begumpur, was on a morning walk near the Vijay Mandal Park on Friday when he was intercepted by two unidentified men.

A verbal altercation quickly turned violent, with one attacker striking him with a bat-like object before opening fire. At least three shots were fired, triggering panic among others in the park.

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“Multiple teams have been formed. We are analysing CCTV camera footage and are questioning some people. The accused will be arrested soon,” a senior police officer said.

Police said the assailants fled the spot on a motorcycle. A PCR call reporting the firing was received at the Malviya Nagar Police Station at 9.53 am on Friday. Kataria was rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead.

A case has been registered, and bullet casings along with other forensic evidence have been collected from the site. Investigators said the way the crime was executed suggests a recce had been done, as Kataria took the same route daily.

On Saturday, police handed over the body to the family after the post-mortem. His son, Shivam, returned from London on Saturday afternoon, relatives said.

While the motive remains unclear, police are probing angles, including a property dispute.

Kataria is survived by his wife Veervati and son. Preliminary reports had indicated that he was involved in a land dispute with local slum dwellers in Begumpur, though police have not confirmed this as the motive.