Taxi Driver, Family Arrested for Murder of Passenger Boarded at IFFCO Chowk
A 59-year-old taxi driver, his wife, and their son have been arrested for allegedly killing a passenger following a dispute over the fare for a trip that began at IFFCO Chowk in Gurugram, the police said on Saturday.
The main accused, Rajinder Kumar, alias Annu, along with his wife Kamini Mukhija, 50, and son Laksh Makhija, 28, were taken into custody on Friday night. The victim, estimated to be between 30 and 35 years old, has not yet been identified.
The incident took place on August 17, when police discovered the naked, blood-stained body of the man on a pavement in C-Block of Naraina Vihar in West Delhi. The victim suffered a deep injury to the right side of his head along with multiple other injuries. Police also noted a distinctive heart-shaped tattoo with an arrow on his left forearm bearing the names 'Anand' and 'Renu', alongside blood and fragments of an earthen-pot-like object at the scene.
The body was sent to Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for a post-mortem examination, and an FIR was registered. Crime and forensic teams inspected the location while investigators analysed CCTV footage across nearby routes. A suspicious car spotted near the scene led police to trace and apprehend Rajinder within four hours of lodging the FIR.
During interrogation, Rajinder allegedly confessed that he picked up the passenger from IFFCO Chowk. A dispute broke out during the journey regarding the fare, which was between ₹1,000 and ₹1,500. When the passenger refused to pay, Rajinder allegedly assaulted him with bricks and an earthen pot, inflicting fatal injuries.
Following the assault, Rajinder called his wife and son to the location. The two allegedly helped him conceal the deceased man's clothes and dispose of evidence connected to the vehicle used during the crime.
Police subsequently recovered the victim's shoes and clothes based on disclosures by Laksh, while the car allegedly used in the offence was seized following information provided by Kamini. Deputy Commissioner of Police (West) Hareshwar Swami stated that investigators scanned hundreds of CCTV recordings to establish the sequence of events and the movement of the vehicle, adding that efforts to identify the deceased remain underway.
