NEW DELHI: Rahul Meena, the 19-year-old former domestic worker accused of murdering an IRS officer’s 22-year-old daughter at her residence in Delhi’s Kailash Hills, has been arrested from the Dwarka area of the national capital. A native of Alwar, Rajasthan, Meena was traced to a hotel where he had been staying since the alleged crime, which took place early Wednesday morning.
Police have registered cases of rape, murder and robbery against the accused. Official confirmation on the rape allegation remains pending, subject to medical reports.
What CCTV Footage Revealed
Two pieces of surveillance footage have emerged from the incident. The first clip shows Meena entering the victim’s residence at approximately 6.28 am, while the second shows him leaving the premises at 7.22 am nearly an hour later. Investigators noted that Meena changed clothes between the two clips. He is seen wearing a yellow shirt and black pants upon entry, and white pants with what appears to be a full-sleeve yellow T-shirt when leaving. He was also carrying a black backpack as he exited the building. Police have since recovered the stolen items from the accused.
How the Crime Unfolded
The victim, an engineering graduate and UPSC aspirant, was alone at home when the incident occurred, her parents having left for their morning gym session. Her body was discovered on the floor with items scattered around her. Sources said she put up a strong fight, following which the accused allegedly struck her on the head with a stick, inflicting blunt force trauma, before strangling her with a mobile phone charging cable.
There were no signs of forced entry. Investigators believe Meena waited for the parents to leave before entering the house. The residence had multiple security layers, including locks on each floor and on the lift, with at least four locks needing to be cleared to reach the main section of the home — three of which were passcode-operated. Meena, familiar with the household’s layout from his eight months of employment there, knew both the codes and the location of the spare keys kept for domestic staff.
Background of the Accused
Meena had been dismissed from the household approximately six weeks before the incident following complaints of financial misconduct. According to police sources, he was addicted to online gaming and had accumulated significant debt.
Before his arrest, when a Delhi Police team visited his home in Alwar, they learned he had been involved in a separate molestation incident on Tuesday night the night before the murder. Police believe he travelled to Delhi shortly after that incident.
(Based on police sources and media reports)