Delhi school girl shot at: Main accused arrested

Days after a 16-year-old girl was shot at in South Delhi's Sangam Vihar, police have arrested the main accused who allegedly hatched a conspiracy to kill her because she stopped talking to him, officials said on Thursday.

Amanat Ali (19) was arrested on Wednesday, they said. The police had earlier arrested two other accused Bobby (24) and Pawan alias Sumit (19). According to police, Ali came in contact with the girl on social media a couple of years ago. However, she stopped talking to him around six months ago, after which he held a grudge against her. He allegedly decided to kill her and contacted Bobby and Pawan.

Addressing the Delhi Assembly, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has said his government will provide the best treatment possible to the victim, who received the bullet injury on her shoulder on August 25 afternoon. He also demanded the strictest punishment for the accused.

Soon after police from Tigri station had received information about the firing, they had rushed her to a private hospital and her statement was recorded. Later, a forensic science team had recovered an empty cartridge from the spot. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Benita Mary Jaiker said based on the victim's statement, a case was registered under Sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code and also the Arms Act. "During the course of the investigation, the team collected CCTV footage of the area and thoroughly analysed it. The girl identified Amanat Ali," the DCP said.

The officer said CCTV footage showed the three men chasing the victim when she was on her way back home from school, and opening fire at her. Police said the accused trio was traced to Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh through technical surveillance, but they managed to give the police team a skip. Later, acting on a tip-off that two of the accused were coming to Delhi again the next day, police nabbed Bobby from K Block, Sangam Vihar. Based on the information provided by him, Pawan was also arrested from Sangam Vihar the same day, the DCP said. Ali was arrested from Trilokpuri, she added. Meanwhile, the Delhi Commission for Women has issued a notice to the city police seeking an action-taken report in the matter.