Delhi: Man who stalked and shot at teenaged girl arrested

The incident took place on August 25 when the three accused chased the girl on a two-wheeler while she was heading home from school with her relatives and allegedly shot at her.

The girl was shifted to a hospital with a gunshot injury to the shoulder and was out of danger.

Police then analysed CCTV footage and said technical surveillance revealed the three were going towards Uttar Pradesh’s Muzaffarnagar. They also managed to evade a team there. After the accused returned to Delhi, police arrested Ali’s associates, Bobby (24) and Pawan (19), from South Delhi on August 26. On their instance, two country-made pistols and three cartridges were recovered. Police of the special staff arrested Ali from Trilokpuri.

DCP (South) Benita Mary Jaiker said, “The accused disclosed that the girl had been in contact with him through social media and she stopped talking to him some time ago. He and his friends Bobby and Pawan planned to kill her while she was returning from school.”

A senior police officer said: “After his uncle died in Muzaffarnagar four months ago, Ali stole his country made pistols. He decided to eliminate the girl when his friends told him she was talking to someone else. He hatched the plan two days before the incident.”

Accused followed her when she went to school: Family

Recalling the incident, the victim’s father said, “My daughter was coming back from school with her mother, brother, and cousins. When she was shot, my wife screamed for help, but passersby were taking photos and videos. Then a man on a scooter took my daughter to a hospital.”

He claimed the accused had befriended his daughter on social media.

“When she found out that he was her neighbour and had sent a friend request under a fake name, she blocked him and did not speak to him afterwards. However, he started following her while she went to school. He also started roaming around the street near our house. I gave an oral complaint to the beat police officer after he broke our window with a stone a month ago. The policeman assured me that he would handle it… if something was done, he would not have the courage to shoot at my daughter,” the father alleged.

Police said no complaint was received at the station.

Her father added, “Until Ali was arrested, my daughter was not eating and drinking properly. Today, I saw the relief on her face.”

Police said they have registered a case against the accused under IPC section 307 (attempt to murder) and provisions of the Arms Act.