Ex-help arrested in brutal south Delhi murder

A 19-year-old former domestic help was arrested by the Delhi Police on Wednesday, hours after he committed a brutal murder in south Delhi's Kailash Hills locality. The victim, a 22-year-old daughter of an IRS officer, was a UPSC aspirant. Her body was found by her parents on Wednesday morning when they returned from the gym.

The accused, Rahul Meena, had been dismissed from the officer's home about one and a half months ago for borrowing money from multiple people to fuel his online gaming addiction. After losing his job, Rahul went back to his home in Alwar in Rajasthan. On Wednesday evening, he was arrested from a hotel in Dwarka. Police said he had returned to Delhi from Alwar just the previous night before committing the crime.

Joint Commissioner of Police, Southern Range, Vijay Kumar, who is supervising the investigation, said the sequence of events has been clearly established. "He entered the colony at 6.30 am and entered the home at 6.39 am, exiting at 7.20 am," the officer said.

CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts have confirmed his movement. Two separate video clips show him approaching the house at 6.30 am and leaving the area at 7.22 am.

Police said the accused was familiar with the house layout. He knew the exact location where the spare key was usually kept for the family's maid. Using that key, Rahul opened the gate and entered the premises. There were no signs of forced entry. "We have strong evidence against him," the Joint CP said. "The accused changed his clothes after committing the crime. We have evidence of that as well."

Rahul allegedly entered the house when the officer's family had gone for their daily gym session. Police claim that he was aware of this routine, which he had observed during his time working with the family. They believe Rahul planned the crime based on this knowledge. After entering the house, he allegedly raped and strangled the officer's daughter, stole around Rs 2 lakh in cash, changed his clothes, and fled from the spot.

The victim was found lying on the floor when her parents returned home at around 8 am. She was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared her dead. A preliminary inquiry suggests that she was sexually assaulted. Investigators said she was also hit on the face and head with a stick, which caused serious blunt force injuries, before being strangled with a charging cable.

More than 15 police teams were deployed to track Rahul, including teams sent to Rajasthan. Investigators used technical surveillance to narrow down his location. According to police, the motive appears to be a grudge linked to his dismissal from the job.

A case has been registered, and forensic teams have collected evidence from the scene. Further investigation is currently underway.