New Delhi, June 5
A man facing an attempt-to-murder trial in Saket district court in south Delhi was murdered in a lockup on the judicial premises by two undertrials, an official said on Thursday, confirming the incident that has sparked a debate over breach of security and safety of undertrials.
“Aman was strangled after the accused – Jaidev and Jitender -- hit his head on a wall over an old enmity,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Ankit Chauhan.
Aman, 24, a resident of Govindpuri, was facing trial in a 2024 attempt to murder case in which Jitender and his brother were complainants, the police said.
On Thursday, Aman was pinned to the ground and strangled with feet by the accused, an official said, adding that the accused first banged his head on the wall, resulting in Aman losing blood from the wound, police said.
Soon after an alarm was raised over the assault in the lock-up, a bleeding Aman was rushed to the hospital, but he died on the way, the police said.
The murder took place in holding cell number 5 of the court premises where Aman, the two assailants and other undertrials were kept after arriving from Tihar Jail No. 8 for attending court proceedings.
“The attack followed an argument between Aman and his assailants over an issue related to testimony in court,” said a police official.
This was the second such sensational incident in as many years at the complex, which is close to schools and malls.
Two years ago, the Saket court complex was rocked by a shooting incident in which a suspended lawyer attacked a woman colleague in public view.
The assailant, Kameshwar Singh, was arrested later while the victim escaped with minor wounds on the abdomen and arm.
The incident, which took place in April 2023, left a lawyer’s employee injured apart from the woman.