Gambling addict kills cousin, held

A 20-year-old youth, allegedly an online gambling addict, killed his 21-year-old cousin with a sharp weapon at Rajesh Nagar locality in the Mohkapura area here on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday. The accused, Sanjeev, alias Sanju, a BCA student, was arrested by the police. The deceased was identified as Nisha Bharti, also a BCA student. The accused and victim were pursuing BCA in different institutes.

According to the police, Sanjeev was an online gambling addict. He was stealing some valuables from a room when the victim, who was sleeping there, woke up. Fearing that he would be exposed, the accused stabbed the victim with a sharp knife in the neck resulting her on the spot death, said Jasroop Kaur Bath, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADCP).

Both, the victim and the accused were in the same room in the night when the murder took place. The victim was to appear in her final examination today.

Babita Devi, the complainant and victim’s mother, said Sanjeev and his family lived on the ground floor of the house. Babita said yesterday evening, her husband went to factory for work and she along with Nisha was alone at home. She said Sanjeev, who was also pursuing BCA, usually came to study with Nisha in her room. Yesterday also, he came to her daughter’s room around 10 pm for studying. However, he went away after the power went off. She said around 1.30 am, she heard cries of her daughter and immediately rushed to her room. She found her lying in a pool of blood and dead.

Jasroop Kaur said Dr Sheetal Singh, ADCP, East, and the SHO reached the spot and started probe. They arrested Sanjeev Kumar whom they learnt was a gambling addict. The accused tried to steal cash from almirah lying in Nisha’s room. When Nisha saw the accused, he killed her. The ADCP said as per preliminary probe, the accused had earlier lost Rs 6 lakh in online gambling. The ADCP said the accused also sold his bike and mobile phone for money which he used in gambling.