In a case that has sent shockwaves through the national capital, the Delhi Police has arrested 22-year-old Rahul Meena in the horrific rape and murder of a senior IRS officer’s daughter in South East Delhi’s Amar Colony. The arrest took place in Dwarka on April 22, following a chilling sequence of events that reveals the cold-blooded nature of the accused.
The victim, a brilliant UPSC aspirant and former Class 12 all-India topper, was targeted in her own home by a man who was once a known face in the household.
A premeditated strike
Rahul Meena was intimately familiar with the family’s schedule and the layout of the house. He knew exactly when the victim’s parents left for their morning gym sessions and was aware of how to bypass the locks in the building.
On the morning of the incident, Rahul entered the premises and headed straight for the rooftop study room, where the victim was studying for her civil services exams.
Chilling timeline of the attack
According to police sources, the interrogation of the accused revealed a sequence of events.
Rahul entered the study room with the intent to assault the victim. When she bravely resisted, he attacked her with a heavy lamp and other blunt objects found in the room. The victim lost consciousness due to the heavy blows. While she was unconscious and bleeding profusely, the accused raped her.
The accused then dragged the victim’s body down the stairs to the main flat to access a biometric locker. He tried to use the unconscious girl’s thumbprint to unlock the safe. The locker failed to open. Police believe that because the victim’s blood circulation had stopped or her hands were covered in blood, the sensor did not recognise the print. Investigators suspect she had passed away by this point.
Undeterred, Rahul used a screwdriver to break open the locker, fleeing with a significant amount of cash and jewelry. Before leaving, Rahul noticed his clothes and shoes were stained with blood. He calmly changed into a pair of pants belonging to the victim’s brother and wore household slippers before vanishing from the scene.
Accused’s criminal background and gambling addiction
Investigations have revealed that Rahul was heavily addicted to online gambling, specifically "Teen Patti." His need for quick money to fund his betting habits and lifestyle drove his criminal intent. Just 24 hours before the Delhi murder, on April 21, Rahul allegedly raped a married woman in Rajasthan’s Alwar. He reportedly bit the victim and threatened her life before fleeing to Delhi to commit his next crime.
While Rahul claims his primary motive was robbery, investigators believe he had been stalking the victim for some time. His history of sexual violence suggests that the rape was a planned part of his attack.
