Delhi police announced on Thursday, September 17, 2026, that four individuals have been taken into custody in connection with the rape and murder of a minor girl whose body was recovered from an open field in Swaroop Nagar, north Delhi, on September 13. The arrests were made within 72 hours of the discovery, and three of the detained persons are juveniles.
Discovery and Initial Response
The deceased girl was found early on September 13 in an open area near Jaipal Rana’s field along Lal Boundary on Kushak Road. Police from the Swaroop Nagar police station arrived at the scene shortly after the report, and the body was initially unidentified. The remains were sent for preservation and a post‑mortem examination. Based on preliminary findings and the material collected at the site, investigators registered a case under Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, along with relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita at the Swaroop Nagar police station.
According to Outer North Deputy Commissioner of Police Shobhit D. Saxena, the victim and the accused were known to each other as neighbourhood friends. Saxena stated that the prime accused, identified as 19‑year‑old Shivam—also known as Sudama and Chuchu—had a relationship with the girl. He added that an argument broke out among the five friends, after which the group allegedly sexually assaulted and killed the minor.
Investigation Leads and Vehicle Tracking
Police investigators reviewed footage from more than 50 CCTV cameras in the area. During this review, a tempo (three‑wheeler) was observed moving near the crime scene at the relevant time, but poor lighting made its registration number unreadable. investigators then cross‑referenced vehicle movements across multiple cameras and conducted field verification to determine the tempo’s route and identity.
A night‑long search operation was launched on September 15 and 16 based on the leads generated from the CCTV analysis. The suspected tempo was eventually located parked in Khadda Colony, Swaroop Nagar. Police questioned the driver of the vehicle, and further interrogation led to the identification and arrest of four persons, including the three juveniles.
Arrests and Evidence Collected
The prime accused, Shivam, a resident of Khadda Colony, was among those apprehended. The other three detainees have not been named in the official statement. Along with the arrests, police recovered two knives believed to have been used in the crime, the clothing worn by the accused at the time of the incident, and the tempo itself.
The case has been booked under Sections 103(1) (murder), 238(a) (causing disappearance of evidence or giving false information to screen an offender), 65(1) (rape of a woman under 16) and 3(5) (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, as well as Section 6 of the POCSO Act. Investigators are also probing whether the accused were under the influence of alcohol or any other intoxicating substance when the crime occurred.
Further inquiries are ongoing to establish the precise sequence of events and to determine the individual role of each of the four arrested persons. Police have indicated that the investigation remains active and that additional forensic and testimonial evidence will be examined as the case proceeds through the legal system.
The swift apprehension of the suspects, achieved within three days of the body’s discovery, underscores the intensive use of surveillance footage and coordinated field operations by the Outer North division of Delhi Police. Authorities have emphasized that the investigation will continue to ensure that all responsible parties are held accountable under the applicable criminal statutes.
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