New Delhi, April 17 -- The Delhi Police's Crime Branch has arrested a 19-year-old teenager for the brutal murder of a 20-year-old woman over obsession and jealousy.

The police were alerted about the incident through a PCR call at the GTB Enclave Police Station.

The accused has been identified as Rizwan (19), a resident of Sundar Nagri, Delhi.

According to the police, the arrest was made following an intense manhunt spearheaded by the Inter-State Cell of the Crime Branch, utilizing both technical surveillance and human intelligence to trace the absconding suspect.

The incident occurred on the night of April 14, when the young woman was found dead near Pocket-A, GTB Enclave.

Two gunshot wounds proved fatal. The case was registered under an FIR at GTB Enclave Police Station under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Section 27 of the Arms Act.

Given the shocking nature of the crime, a specialised team led by ACP Ramesh Chander Lamba and Inspectors Pankaj Malik and Rohit Kumar was formed to bring the culprit to justice. The investigation team, including SI Amit Kumar and ASIs Sanjeev and Suresh Kumar among others, immediately initiated a multi-pronged approach combining traditional policework and modern technology.

The accused Rizwan had gone underground after the incident, prompting the police to intensify their efforts.

A breakthrough came when informants provided credible information suggesting that Rizwan had fled to Karnal, Haryana.

Acting swiftly, the team located him near a roadside eatery. Rizwan was found wearing the same clothes captured in CCTV footage at the crime scene, a crucial piece of evidence that confirmed his identity. He was apprehended on the spot before he could attempt another escape.

During sustained interrogation, Rizwan confessed to the crime, revealing a disturbing transformation of affection into fatal obsession.

He first noticed the victim while working at a construction site in Anand Gram. The two connected on Instagram, and their online interactions eventually led to phone conversations and a budding relationship.

However, tensions emerged when the girl refused physical intimacy and continued interacting with another male friend, which triggered Rizwan's jealousy.

In a premeditated move, Rizwan obtained a country-made pistol two days before the crime. On the night of April 14, he contacted the girl via Instagram and arranged to meet her at Kodia Colony Gate.

After a brief exchange and during a confrontation in the Janta Flats area, Rizwan, reportedly under the influence of alcohol, shot the girl twice when she again refused to sever ties with the other boy. He fled the scene and later handed over the weapon to an acquaintance.

Efforts are currently underway to recover the murder weapon. A midnight raid was conducted at the residence of the person Rizwan claimed to have handed the firearm to, but the individual was missing and his mobile phone was switched off.

Rizwan has been produced before the court as legal proceedings begin. His background paints a picture of a young man from a lower-middle-class family in Sundar Nagri, who dropped out after the 9th grade due to financial struggles.

Despite limited education, he was active on social media platforms like Instagram, relying on Google Translate to communicate with the victim.

The investigation remains ongoing, with efforts to trace the weapon and any potential accomplices.

Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.