Lajpat Nagar murders: Boy was alive when killer fled; targeted to erase eyewitnesses, say cops

Police had found Ruchika’s body in the bedroom. As officers followed a trail of bloodstains, they found the boy’s body inside the bathroom. There were injuries on their neck, which prima facie appeared to have been inflicted by a sharp-edged weapon.

An officer said that during questioning, Mukesh claimed that Krish was alive when he left the scene of the crime and that he left him on the floor of his room. “It is possible that the 14-year-old crawled to the bathroom of his room in a desperate attempt to save his life and tried to get water… but eventually succumbed to his injuries,” the officer added.

The officer further said that Mukesh brought the murder weapon, a kitchen knife, from his own home. “After killing Ruchika, he slit the throat of the boy in his own room to eliminate witnesses.”

According to the police, Mukesh had taken an advance of Rs 45,000 from Ruchika and two mobile phones while going on leave. He, however, did not return to work on time.

“Ruchika had asked Mukesh to return the advance payment of Rs 45,000 and the two phones she gave him and leave the job if he couldn’t get his act together,” said the officer.

Mukesh, who lived at Amar Colony with his two brothers and father, had attempted to flee to his village in Bihar by boarding the Magadh Express from New Delhi railway station early Thursday. He was traced by the Uttar Pradesh Police, which boarded the train at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya junction and arrested him.