‘Vo aaye, unko peeta aur phir goli maari’: Congress worker out for morning walk in Malviya Nagar park killed

“The victim had gunshot injuries to his head and his chest. He was taken to the AIIMS, where he was declared dead on arrival,” a police officer said.

Police said the PCR call was made by a guard on duty at the park. The guard told the police that the deceased came to the park every day at the same time for his walk.

Police scoured CCTV footage from the park and spotted the two assailants, who came on a motorcycle, entering the premises. They are yet to be arrested.

Kataria, a resident of Begumpur, is survived by his wife, son and daughter.

The incident has sparked fear in the locality as this is not the first crime to occur in the park. In July 2023, a 22-year-old woman named Nargis was beaten to death with an iron rod allegedly by a man whose marriage proposal her family had recently turned down. The incident had taken place while the 46-acre DDA property was full of visitors.

The park is a mere 100 metres from the Malviya Nagar police station and is manned by 13 guards round the clock. Its three entry gates also have a guard each.

Congress coordinator CP Soni said he was informed of the incident by his sister — who is Kataria’s sister-in-law.

“In an area like South Delhi, the men came, beat Lakhpat up, and then fired bullets at him — at 9.30 am in a park where around 500 people walk daily. In a city where the chief minister is not safe, what will happen to the public?” he asked.

Devender Singh, one of the guards at the park, said Kataria was a frequent visitor to the park and used to come for a walk almost everyday. “Vo aaye, unko peeta aur phir goli maari… He had been coming here for years,” said Devender.

Manjul Gupta, a resident of Shivalik in Malviya Nagar, is a regular at the park and said he would often spot Kataria.

“I go to the park every morning for a walk, as do several others from the area. It is the biggest and most well-maintained park in Malviya Nagar. The incident is shocking. While I didn’t know Lakhpat Singh Kataria well, we would see each other in the park sometimes. I came back early from my walk today and found out later that he had been shot dead. A couple of years ago, a woman was killed in the same park. People in the area are scared as the police have still not caught those responsible (for today’s incident),” the 39-year-old businessman said.

Former MLA and AAP leader Somnath Bharti said that after the 2023 murder in the park, he had asked for more security in the vicinity. But no action was taken.

“Now morning walk is also not safe in Delhi???… around 9.30 am, a local Lakhpat Kataria… (was) first beaten by bat and shot… This park is visited by thousands everyday. I had requested DDA after the last murder to protect the entry gates of the park but nothing happened. DDA and Delhi Police have been under BJP for 11 years now (sic),” he said in his post on X.

A police officer said Kataria, who was also a property dealer, had complained about drug peddling in Begumpur.

Police are now investigating multiple angles in the case, including property disputes, extortion and connection to drug-related complaints made by Kataria. Police said they are trying to trace the gunmen.

A case has been registered under Section 101 (murder) of the BNS and the Arms Act at the Malviya Nagar police station.