Over 3 decades on, accused in Trilokpuri murder case nabbed

More than three decades after a brutal murder in East Delhi, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police has arrested the accused, who was evading arrest since 1991.

The accused, identified as Chhavi Lal Verma, was apprehended by the Inter-State Cell (ISC) after a sustained operation spanning several months. He was declared a proclaimed offender in 1996 in connection with a brutal murder and attempted murder case registered at the Trilokpuri police station.

The case dates back to August 2, 1991, when the police received a PCR call about a stabbing incident in West Vinod Nagar in East Delhi. On reaching the spot, the police found a 55-year-old woman with multiple stab injuries to her neck and her son, aged around 18-20 years, injured with stab wounds on his face.

The victims were rushed to Lok Nayak Jai Prakash (LNJP) Hospital, where the woman succumbed to her injuries, while her son survived.

Investigations had revealed that the accused, a tenant in the victim’s house, attacked them with a sharp weapon and fled the spot.

According to the police, a dedicated ISC team worked on the case over the past six months using technical surveillance and field intelligence. Investigators tracked the movement of the accused across several states, including West Bengal, Maharashtra, Goa and Punjab.

Based on specific inputs, his location was traced to Ludhiana. A raiding team was sent, and after verification, the accused was arrested on April 10. During interrogation, the accused reportedly confessed that he believed his landlady had substantial cash, as her husband lived abroad. He entered her room at night with the intent to commit robbery and attacked both the woman and her son when they resisted.

After the crime, he remained absconding for over three decades, frequently changing locations and avoiding contact with his native place in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, even skipping family events to evade arrest.

The police said the accused is in custody. The police station concerned had been informed, and additional investigation was in progress.