20-year-old Dilbur Negi was killed on February 24. Both his hands were cut off.

Delhi Police Saturday arrested a 27-year-old man on charges of murder and rioting in Northeast Delhi. Identified as Shiv Vihar resident Mohd Shehnawaz, he has been accused of allegedly killing a 20-year-old employee of a sweet shop, Dilbur Singh Negi, on February 24.

The Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Crime Branch, headed by DCP Rajesh Deo, which is probing all murder cases, arrested Shehnawaz from the area. “Multiple eyewitnesses identified him from the scene of crime on February 24”, said a senior police officer.

Additional PRO of Delhi Police, Anil Mittal, said Shehnawaz and other accused allegedly pelted stones, ransacked and torched several shops near Shiv Vihar Tiraha on February 24 after riots broke out. Mittal said, “Shehnawaz entered into a bookstore and a sweets shop godown at Chaman Park in Shiv Vihar and torched both places along with other rioters. On February 26, the body of a person named Dilbur Singh was found from the shop and a case of murder was registered. Both his hands had been cut off.”

At least 53 people have died and over 300 injured in the riots. So far, 690 FIRs have been registered and 2,193 persons have been detained or arrested.

A senior police officer said Shehnawaz sold tobacco products in the area and he has “named more people during questioning, which is being examined”. “He was not missing or absconding, he was in the area only… He assumed that the mob frenzy would have acted like a cover and he would not be identified. Multiple eyewitnesses identified him as the main aggressor,” claimed a senior police officer. Police said they are looking for CCTV footage of the incident as well.

Negi, who worked as a waiter at Anil Sweets, hailed from Pauri in Uttarakhand, and had come to Delhi six months ago. After the mob attacked the sweet shop on February 24, Negi had gone missing and his body — which was charred beyond recognition — was found two days later. His brother Devender Negi had told The Indian Express that he identified him “based on a rough idea of his features”. Devender had said, “Even his arms were missing and I had to understand by the short height and shape of the face.”

Meanwhile, Delhi Police also arrested three aides of suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain who have been accused of rioting. They have been identified as Tariq Rizvi, Liyakat and Riyasat, and the arrests come two days after Hussain too was arrested. Hussain has been named an accused in the murder of Intelligence Bureau staffer Ankit Sharma.