Bar code on broken beer bottle helps Delhi cops arrest 3 in attempt to murder case

During the attack, one of the accused allegedly broke a beer bottle and hit the complainant on the head with a piece of sharp glass, causing grievous injuries. The injured man was rushed to Dr N C Joshi Hospital in Karol Bagh, said police.

The matter was reported at DBG Road police station around 4 pm the same day, and an FIR was registered under sections 109(1) (attempted murder) and 3(5) (common intent) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, said officers.

In view of the seriousness of the offence and recent instances of violent attacks in public places, a special police team was formed which carried out technical surveillance and ground-level inquiries.

“During spot inspection at Ajmal Khan Park, a broken piece of a beer bottle, allegedly used in the commission of the crime, was recovered. The bottle fragment contained a barcode, which proved to be a crucial lead in the investigation. On the basis of this lead, officers visited nearby wine shops, and the source of the bottle was traced by scanning the barcode.

CCTV footage of the wine shop concerned and surrounding areas was analysed, which led to the identification of a scooter with registration number,” explained DCP Central Nidhin Valsan.

On December 18, acting on a tip-off, the police apprehended three accused —- Hammad alias Rizwan (22), a resident of Bada Hindu Rao; Kamran alias Sarim (24) from Nai Basti in Sadar Bazar; and Farzan (24) from Old Mustafabad, officers said.

Argument over a matchbox

During questioning, the accused allegedly told police that they were involved in the attack. They said they had asked the complainant for a matchbox, and when he refused, an argument broke out after they checked his pockets. The confrontation eventually escalated into violence. The broken beer bottle used in the crime was also recovered.

Police said that Hammad alias Rizwan is a repeat offender with over 20 cases of theft and snatching registered against him across several police stations in Delhi whereas the other two accused have no other cases filed against them.