‘Lady Don’, 7 others chargesheeted in Seelampur teen’s murder case

Feared across the narrow lanes of Seelampur and known to wield more authority than many local gangsters, Zikra Khan, who is widely known in the area as ‘Lady Don’, is now at the centre of a chilling murder case that has exposed the dark underbelly of Delhi’s street vendettas.

Once whispered about in fear and rarely named aloud, Zikra now stands formally chargesheeted, alongside seven others, for the brutal stabbing of a 17-year-old boy, Kunal, a crime, the police say, that was plotted with ruthless precision as an act of revenge.

For months, her name had instilled silence in street corners. But on July 26, in a courtroom far removed from the world she once controlled, her alleged empire of fear began to unravel as a judicial magistrate took cognisance of the police findings. The chargesheet, filed under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), paints Zikra not just as a conspirator, but also as the architect of a revenge plot that ended in a teenager’s death, all for a grudge rooted in a past assault on her cousin.

Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Anmol Nohria took cognisance of the case and said, “From the perusal of material available on record, I take cognisance of the offence.”

Zikra, along with her cousin Sahil Ansari, believed to be the key conspirators, were produced before the court from judicial custody. The court has also issued summons to the remaining accused identified as Zahida, Shahid, alias Shuaib, Anas, Aneesh, Nafees and Vikas. The matter is now scheduled for further hearing on August 8.

The murder dates back to April, when Kunal, a minor, was allegedly stabbed to death in the Seelampur locality.

During custodial interrogation, Zikra confessed that her cousin Sahil was attacked in November last year by two individuals, Lala and Shambhu, who were reportedly close friends of Kunal. While Kunal was present during the attack, he was not named in the FIR due to his minor status. Zikra and Sahil allegedly suspected Kunal of having orchestrated the assault and decided to retaliate.

Following her arrest in April, Zikra was remanded to judicial custody by the Karkardooma Court. Sahil was also taken into police custody for two days before being remanded to judicial custody. Investigators believe the revenge plot was meticulously planned, with each accused playing a role in executing the fatal assault.

The chargesheet has been filed under Sections 103(1), 61(2), 351(3), 3(5), 249(a) and 238(a) of the BNS, indicating a broad spectrum of offences tied to premeditated murder and criminal conspiracy.