Delhi cop shoots woman colleague dead, kills self

NEW DELHI: A Delhi Police sub-inspector walked up behind a woman colleague and shot her dead in Rohini on Friday night before shooting himself with the same service revolver in Murthal, Haryana.
Initial probe suggests that the shooter, Deepanshu Rathi, 27, had been stalking the woman ever since she decided to end their relationship eight months ago. Both were officers of the 2018 batch and had become romantically involved during their training.
The woman, sub-inspector Preeti Ahlawat, was walking back to her home in Eblock, Sector-8, after getting off the Metro at the Rohini East station, when she was shot. Rathi, it seems, was lying in wait in his car. When he saw Ahlawat walk past, he followed on foot and shot her from close range. She was hit on the head and died before she could be taken to hospital.
According to an eyewitness, Rathi shot the woman without speaking to her. “He fired three shots; one also hit a car. He then walked back to his car and left. He had parked in such a way that he could easily escape without reversing it,” the eyewitness said.
After killing colleague, cop drives to Murthal and shoots himself in his car
The shooting happened around 9.30pm in Rohini sector 8, barely 100 metres from a police booth.
Police were informed who then reached the spot and rushed the woman to Dr Baba Sahib Ambedkar hospital where doctors declared her “brought dead”. Ahlawat’s belongings, including her bag and a mobile phone, were found next to her.
Later, Rathi was found dead in his car in Murthal. He had allegedly shot himself in the head.
Police said after Ahlawat had ended the relationship, Rathi kept trying to persuade her to return but she remained steadfast in refusing him.
Both were sub-inspectors on probation. Rathi was posted at Bhajanpura, while Ahlawat was posted at the Patparganj Industrial Area in east Delhi.
Eyewitness Umesh Prasad, who had called up the cops after the shooting, said he was walking in the park along with friends when he heard the first gunshot. “I thought some people were bursting crackers but then I heard another shot and wondered how people could be bursting crackers during election time. Then I saw a man walking confidently away from a woman, who was lying in a pool of blood. We called police. By the looks of it, she had died on the spot,” said Prasad.
Investigating officers scanned Ahlawat’s mobile phone and after analysing some WhatsApp chats and text messages, zeroed in on Rathi’s mobile number, which was active and moving towards Sonipat in Haryana. A CCTV footage from Rohini also provided a clear shot of Rathi, and police zeroed him down as the prime accused.
A police team which had set out to catch Rathi was soon informed that he had been found dead in his car, which was parked on the roadside in Murthal. The service revolver was in his hand and there was a gunshot wound on his temple.
“From her WhatsApp chats, it was evident that Rathi was pestering her. We have registered a case of murder at Rohini North police station,” said S D Mishra, additional CP, Rohini.
“After his initial attempts at persuading Ahlawat failed, Rathi started following her wherever she went, so much so that he would often send her pictures of places she was moving around in. The woman had even blocked him from all platforms, including WhatsApp a few days back. Rathi would share pictures of her while she was walking home or coming out of the Metro station on a WhatsApp group of the 2018 batch officers. Ever since their break-up he had been stalking her,” a police source said.
Ahlawat lived with two of her batch mates. Her father is a retired BSF officer and her mother worked as a teacher. Rathi’s father retired from the Haryana police. He has an elder brother and a sister.
Ahlawat’s colleagues at Patparganj police station recalled her as a very helpful person. “She was kind and spoke politely with everyone. I met her on Friday around 4pm and did not expect it to be the last time I would see her. She was always welcoming and willing to help,” a cop who worked with Ahlawat said.
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