NEW DELHI: Days after a dispute escalated into a shooting at a restaurant in Amar Colony, the death of a teenager sparked outrage in south Delhi. On Tuesday, scores of family members, relatives and friends gathered in Chhattarpur to protest and demand justice for the victim, who succumbed to his injuries on Monday after being shot in the head.
Delhi Police on Tuesday said it is making every effort to ensure that the juvenile apprehended in the case is tried as an adult. Meanwhile, after Sai’s body was brought home following the postmortem examination, hundreds of residents, relatives, and friends assembled outside his residence. Demanding the strictest punishment for the accused, including the death penalty, protesters breached police barricades and took to the streets.
The demonstrators placed the body on the road during the protest, prompting authorities to deploy a large police contingent in the area to maintain law and order.
Sai’s grandmother said she had raised her grandson with great love and care, only to see him shot dead without any serious provocation. She further questioned the police’s handling of the case and demanded justice for Sai.
Anticipating tensions, police had already erected barricades in the area. However, angry protesters removed the barricades and marched toward CDR Chowk. A large number of women also participated in the demonstration. Traffic movement was disrupted for some time, creating chaos in the area. Senior police officers later intervened and persuaded the protesters to disperse peacefully from the site.
The father of the victim demanded the harshest action against the accused. A massive stand-off unfolded between the police and the bereaved family as emotions ran high. Several rounds of discussions took place through the day, with officers assuring the protesters that all accused would be brought to justice and that efforts were underway to strengthen the case.
Initial investigation revealed that four individuals were involved. So far, three of them have been apprehended by the Crime Branch. The juvenile accused, along with his associates Yash and Jai, is currently in police custody, he said. The fourth accused is still absconding, but police expect to arrest him soon. The weapon used in the crime, as well as the car involved in the incident, has been recovered. The police are making every effort to ensure that the juvenile is tried as an adult in accordance with the law, Deputy Commissioner of Police (crime) Harsh Indora said.
