DU student ‘kills’ family: Father saw his potential, asked me to train him, says boxing coach

He had planned the crime on his parents’ 25th wedding anniversary as he held a grudge against them for favouring his sister and not supporting his boxing dreams, the Delhi Police had claimed after they questioned Arjun.

However, Arjun’s coach, Manoj Kalosia, at Bijasan Boxing Academy in Saket, said it didn’t seem the family was against him boxing.

Kalosia, who had been coaching him for about eight months — Arjun trained with him as his college lacks a boxing ring — was shocked upon hearing the news. “After Arjun lost a state competition, his father brought him here and asked me to train him as he saw potential in Arjun to be a great boxer. It never looked like his family discouraged him,” he said.

However, he noted that Arjun had not been attending practice for the last two months. “We didn’t follow up as we assumed there might be some personal commitments or he might be busy with college,” he added.

At DU’s Motilal Nehru College (Evening), where Arjun was a second-year BA Political Science student admitted under the sports quota, his academic performance had been poor. College records reveal he failed his first semester, did not attempt exams in the second semester, and did not fill out the exam form for the third semester, The Indian Express has learnt.

As per the records, he scored 59% in Class XII from Army Public School in Dhaula Kuan.

“The student’s college records show he has not been performing academically… he probably was going through something since last year… we are unaware,” said Officiating Principal Vichitra.

Arjun’s focus on boxing also brought him accolades. Amit Tomar, his sports instructor at the college, said he was “well-behaved and respectful”.

“Usually, when a student is admitted under the sports quota, they don’t attend college regularly as they are busy with practice and representing the institute in matches. That’s why we didn’t see him attending classes or interacting with other students,” he said.

“Arjun had recently competed in the Men’s 92 kg category and won a silver medal at the Delhi Olympic Games,” the instructor said.

“The last time I spoke to him was in November when I signed his eligibility proforma to participate in inter-college boxing trials. He also messaged me, sharing that he had participated in the trials and was awaiting the results,” Tomar added.
Arjun was also awarded Rs 9,000 by the college for his silver medal at the Games. “It is very surprising for us that a good student like him might have committed a serious crime,” Principal Vichitra said. “We are unaware of the psychological pressures he may have faced at home. All we can say is we never had any record of complaints regarding his discipline.”