NEW DELHI: Three days after the sensational shooting of a 17-year-old girl , Simran, inside a Mercedes in west Delhi’s Najafgarh, police have arrested the 23-year-old youth who had allegedly committed the crime out of jealousy .
Police said the accused, Shubham Gupta, was arrested from a relative’s house in south Delhi, where he was hiding along with his family members. Police have also recovered the victim’s mobile phone from the accused in which they have found happy videos and photographs of Shubham and Simran just before the girl was shot.
Shubham, a Class XII dropout who helped in his father’s jewellary business, told cops that he had shot Simran in a fit of rage after he found out about her “affair” with another youth, Nitin.
DCP southwest, Surender Kumar confirmed the arrest on Friday evening. During preliminary interrogations, Shubham claimed he was upset with Simran as she could not explain why she was getting call after call from Nitin throughout the return journey from Dwarka to Najafgarh. She had also asked Shubham to pose as Nitin while talking to her mother, which made him suspicious about her intent.
Shubham’s mother had earlier told police that Simran had left on Tuesday saying was going to celebrate Nitin’s birthday. Instead she went out with Shubham in a Mercedes C 320 owned by another jeweller, Yogesh, 35, who accompanied the two.
In the mobile phone video, Shubham is seen partying with Simran at a Rajouri Garden mall. In one of the clips, Shubham is seen holding a pistol. The caption says “chhe k chhe andar he” (all six bullets are loaded).
Police said he had used the same licensed weapon to fire at Simran later. Shubham claimed he had met Simran three months back. During this period, Simran had not mentioned about her friendship with Nitin and “kept lying” about him whenever she received Nitin’s call in his presence.
On the day of the killing, when Yogesh had stopped his car outside Simran’s house, Nitin blocked their way with his scooter and confronted Simran. While Yogesh tried to “resolve” the matter with Nitin, Shubham confronted Simran inside the car. Shubham said Simran claimed that she did not know Nitin. An argument broke out between the two, during which he pulled out the pistol from glovebox and shot at her. The bullet had hit her on the chest. She later died in hospital.
Hearing the gunshots, Yogesh, Nitin and Simran’s mother had rushed to the vehicle. Shubham said he panicked and fled, running back to his house in the neighbourhood. He told his parents about the incident, following which the family left for their relative’s house.
Shubhams’ family has a jewellery shop in Najafgarh. His father also owned several properties in Deepak Vihar, where the family lived.
Police are scanning Shubham’s mobile phones to find out whether he was in contact with other people who had harboured him while he was on the run. A police case might be registered against them as well.
Meanwhile, Simran’s parents claimed they were being pressured by Shubham’s family to resolve the matter “amicably”.
Bureau Report
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