Ice cream seller stabbed to death near India Gate, suspect arrested

NEW DELHI: An ice cream seller was stabbed to death by a man near the high-security India Gate late on Wednesday, police said.

The deceased has been identified as 25-year-old Prabhat, a resident of Sangam Vihar in Delhi, and a resident of Etawah in Uttar Pradesh.

According to police, information was received about an altercation at India Gate at Kartavya Path police station at 9.02 pm on Wednesday, following which a police team rushed to the spot.

On reaching the spot, the injured person (identified as Prabhat) was found and taken to Lady Hardinge Hospital for treatment, but he succumbed to his injuries and was declared brought dead at the hospital.

“During investigation, it was found that Prabhat was an ice cream vendor at C-Hexagon India Gate who had just come as a vendor that day. One person in his 20s came to his ice rehdi (cart) and stabbed him several times,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi) Devesh Kumar Mahla.

Blood and slippers were found at the spot, which were seized by the police team. “But the deceased’s mobile phone was missing. Family members of the deceased were extensively investigated and it was found that Prabhakar was in a relationship with a minor girl,” the DCP said.

To solve the case, the police team started electronic surveillance of the mobile numbers of the alleged girl and her family members and also conducted joint raids at various places in NCR.

“The CCTV cameras were also analyzed on the spot to find out the escape route of the suspect,” the DCP said, adding that upon analysis, it was also confirmed that a minor girl was in a relationship with the deceased; and one person namely Ajay alias Akash, a resident of Gonda in Uttar Pradesh.”

The DCP said that to get rid of Prabhat, she conspired with Ajay and got him to eliminate her friend.

“Finally, with sincere efforts, Ajay was apprehended and the deceased’s mobile phone was recovered from his possession,” the DCP said, adding that Ajay was working as a laborer and driver at Malik Tent House in Village Shahpura in Noida.