Holi clash murder: 23-year-old accused arrested near Palam Flyover

Delhi Police arrested 23-year-old Sohail, a proclaimed offender wanted in the March Holi clash murder case, near Palam Flyover. Police alleged he assaulted Tarun with others following a dispute triggered by a water balloon incident, after which Tarun later died

New Delhi: A 23-year-old man wanted in connection with the murder of a man during a clash on Holi in March was arrested near Palam Flyover, police said on Tuesday. The accused, Sohail, had been declared a proclaimed offender by a Dwarka court on July 31 after he allegedly evaded arrest in the case registered at Uttam Nagar police station, they said.

According to the crime branch, the incident took place on March 4, coinciding with the Holi festival, when a quarrel broke out in the JJ Colony area after a girl child threw water filled balloon which accidentally splashed water on a woman from another community. Sohail and others allegedly assaulted Tarun, a relative of the girl and his family members with lathis, sticks and iron rods, leaving Tarun seriously injured. He later succumbed to his injuries, police said.

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Police was working on intelligence inputs regarding proclaimed offenders when they received information on August 8 that Sohail would reach near Palam Flyover while allegedly attempting to flee Delhi.

The information was shared with senior officers and a team laid a trap on the road leading from Palam towards Dabri near Palam Flyover. A secret informer identified Sohail, following which the police apprehended him. His identity and details were subsequently verified with Uttam Nagar police station and official records, which confirmed that he had been declared a proclaimed offender. He was arrested on August 8.

During interrogation, Sohail disclosed that there had been earlier disputes and enmity between his family and that of the deceased. He also allegedly admitted his involvement in the assault on Tarun, police said.

“After learning about Tarun’s death, Sohail allegedly fled Delhi and stayed at different places, including Jaipur, to evade arrest. He later returned to Delhi to meet his family and was allegedly planning to escape towards Nepal when he was apprehended,” a senior police officer said.

Sohail, a resident of JJ Colony in Hastsal Road area, is a BA first-year student at Delhi University’s School of Open Learning, police said. Further investigation and legal proceedings are underway, police said.