A court in Alwar is recording the statement of a woman who was allegedly raped by Rahul Meena, hours before he sexually assaulted and killed the daughter of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer in the national capital.
The 22-year-old daughter of the IRS officer was strangled with a mobile phone charger at the family home in Southeast Delhi on Wednesday morning, police said. Meena, a former house help who was sacked recently, was arrested in 10 hours from Dwarka.
Police said that hours before the gruesome crime in Delhi, the accused targeted another woman in an Alwar village around 10 pm on April 21. An FIR was registered the following day.
The woman, who is married and has children, was alone at home at the time, investigators said, adding that the accused knew the survivor. In fact, the accused had gone to a wedding with the woman’s husband, with whom he was friends, and left midway to commit the crime.
Following the murder of the IRS officer’s daughter, Meena allegedly fled with Rs 2.5 lakh in cash. Once the crime came to light, the police launched a multi-state manhunt that helped track Meena down.
According to the suspect Rahul Meena’s family, he became addicted to online gambling while in Delhi and had a debt of Rs 5 lakh.
Meena’s mother claimed that on April 21 – a day before the Delhi incident — the victim’s husband came shouting for Rahul, alleging that his wife had been sexually assaulted. The suspect was not found at home at the time. The next morning, two policemen detained his father, younger brother and two other people, the family claims.
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There’s a shocked silence in the village. The family denies that Meena could be involved in “such a heinous act”, although they admit that Rahul could have gone to Delhi with the intention to steal.
Parul Kulshrestha is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, based in Rajasthan. A lawyer turned journalist, she brings a unique cross-disciplinary perspective to her reporting, blending legal precision with deep social inquiry to cover one of India's most culturally and politically vibrant regions.
Expertise and Experience
Legal-Journalistic Synergy: Parul’s transition from a legal background to mainstream journalism provides her with a distinct advantage in interpreting policy, legislation, and judicial impacts. This expertise allows her to "read between the lines" of government orders and court rulings affecting the public.
Diverse Beat: With years of experience across both mainstream newsrooms and independent journalism, she has built high-level authority in several critical areas:
Nomadic Tribes & Marginalized Communities: She is recognized for her sensitive and in-depth reporting on the struggles and rights of Rajasthan's nomadic populations, often giving a voice to those outside the traditional political spotlight.
Gender & Social Justice: Parul focuses on the intersection of law and gender, covering issues ranging from women’s safety and reproductive rights to the socio-economic empowerment of rural women.
Environmental & Political Reporting: She tracks Rajasthan’s complex political landscape—including electoral shifts and bureaucratic changes—alongside critical environmental concerns like water scarcity and land use.
Academic & Professional Pedigree: Her background as a lawyer, combined with her rise to the rank of Principal Correspondent at a national broadsheet, establishes her as a senior voice in the media landscape. ... Read More
