A Class XII student was strangled to death by her former school senior in Outer Delhi’s KN Katju Marg area on Wednesday, police said on Thursday. According to police, the accused, identified as Sarthak Kapoor, killed Shreya Sharma after she refused to stop speaking to her male friends.
Investigators said that the victim, a resident of Rohini Sector 17, was a bright student and had topped the CBSE Class X exams from the North Zone.
Sarthak and the girl had studied at the same private school in Rohini until early this year when he passed out from Class XII. The girl was one year junior to him. Sarthak, who is pursuing BCA from a private institute in Delhi after leaving school, had been in touch with her.
Shreya had gone for her classes at a coaching centre not far from her house around 5.30 pm. When she did not return till 8.15 pm, her father called on her cell phone but she did not respond. A few minutes later, he called her again. This time, he found her phone switched off.
Suspecting that Sarthak could have been behind her sudden disappearance, her parents called Sarthak asking him about Shreya’s whereabouts.
Investigators said, “To avoid suspicion, Sarthak joined Shreya’s family in their search for her in the neighbourhood. However, her family informed the local police about their suspicion of Sarthak, following which police questioned him and found inconsistency in his statement.”
“After sustained interrogation by the cops, Sarthak confessed to his crime and led the police to the spot where Shreya’s body was lying,” they added.
Narrating the sequence of events leading to the murder of the schoolgirl, a senior investigator said, “Sarthak met Shreya near her house after which they both went to a nearby park in the Sector 11 area. They had a heated argument during which Sarthak strangled Shreya to death. The accused left the place and returned to his home.”
“He then tried to mislead investigation and Shreya’s family by joining the search for her. However, needle of suspicion soon turned to him. He was subjected to sustained interrogation leading his confession to the crime and arrest,” the senior investigator added.
Rishi Pal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini), said, “The accused, Sarthak, is 18 years and six months old. He has been arrested.”
An FIR under Section 302 (murder) and Section 363 (punishment for kidnapping) has been registered against Sarthak, the DCP added.