NEW DELHI: A 17-year-old boy, Kunal, was stabbed to death in a brutal attack in northeast Delhi’s Seelampur on Thursday evening, in what police believe was a revenge killing.
The murder sparked protests and heightened tensions in the area.
Police have identified two teenage suspects, currently absconding, and have formed 10 teams to track them down. A woman named Zikra has been arrested for allegedly conspiring with the accused and abetting the crime.
Who is 'Lady don' Zikra?
Zikra is no stranger to controversy. She previously worked as a bouncer for jailed gangster Hashim Baba’s wife, Zoya, and is alleged to be associated with the Shoaib-Mastan gang — a local criminal outfit known to operate in the area.
She was earlier arrested for flaunting firearms on Instagram, where she boasts a following of 15,000. In many of her posts, she posed with weapons, allegedly to project gang-related bravado.
According to investigators, Zikra played a key role in instigating the murder. Police said she encouraged the two teenage suspects, who are also believed to be part of the Shoaib-Mastan gang, to carry out the attack on Kunal.
Revenge motive traced to old feud
Sources said the killing appears to be linked to a stabbing incident that occurred in the same area in November last year.
One of the accused was allegedly injured in that altercation and believed Kunal was behind it. Thursday’s murder was reportedly an act of retaliation.
That evening, Kunal had stepped out to buy samosas and milk for his family. His grandmother had recently been discharged after a 10-day hospital stay, and he had returned from GTB Hospital just before the incident.
Moments later, he was cornered by the accused in a narrow lane near his home and stabbed multiple times.
"The injured boy succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the hospital,” a senior police officer said. A case under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered at Seelampur police station.
Locals watched in horror
Sheesh Pal (60), who lives next to the crime scene, recalled, “I heard some boys arguing outside my door. Fights are common here. The next thing I saw was a boy soaked in blood trying to walk to a clinic. I’ve learned not to interfere — you never know who might turn on you.”
Despite profusely bleeding, Kunal tried to reach a nearby clinic. Mohsin (35), a local resident, said, “I was on my way to offer prayers when I saw some boys running. I asked what happened, and some children told me someone had been stabbed. I rushed ahead and saw Kunal — drenched in blood, trying to walk towards the clinic’s blue door. Even in that state, he had the courage to move, maybe hoping they wouldn’t follow. By the time I reached him, he had already died.”
TOI visited the spot on Friday and found bloodstains along the lane, leading up to the clinic. Locals said the stretch becomes eerily quiet after dusk, making it an easy target zone for such crimes.
Kunal’s mother, in a heart-wrenching statement, said her family had lived in fear of Zikra and her associates. “They’ve been threatening us for a long time. They roam in gangs, post photos with weapons, and even children are scared of them. I know they killed my son. He didn’t deserve this. I want justice.”
The murder sparked protests and heightened tensions in the area.
Police have identified two teenage suspects, currently absconding, and have formed 10 teams to track them down. A woman named Zikra has been arrested for allegedly conspiring with the accused and abetting the crime.
Who is 'Lady don' Zikra?
Zikra is no stranger to controversy. She previously worked as a bouncer for jailed gangster Hashim Baba’s wife, Zoya, and is alleged to be associated with the Shoaib-Mastan gang — a local criminal outfit known to operate in the area.
She was earlier arrested for flaunting firearms on Instagram, where she boasts a following of 15,000. In many of her posts, she posed with weapons, allegedly to project gang-related bravado.
According to investigators, Zikra played a key role in instigating the murder. Police said she encouraged the two teenage suspects, who are also believed to be part of the Shoaib-Mastan gang, to carry out the attack on Kunal.
Revenge motive traced to old feud
Sources said the killing appears to be linked to a stabbing incident that occurred in the same area in November last year.
One of the accused was allegedly injured in that altercation and believed Kunal was behind it. Thursday’s murder was reportedly an act of retaliation.
That evening, Kunal had stepped out to buy samosas and milk for his family. His grandmother had recently been discharged after a 10-day hospital stay, and he had returned from GTB Hospital just before the incident.
Moments later, he was cornered by the accused in a narrow lane near his home and stabbed multiple times.
"The injured boy succumbed to his injuries during treatment at the hospital,” a senior police officer said. A case under Section 103 (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered at Seelampur police station.
Locals watched in horror
Sheesh Pal (60), who lives next to the crime scene, recalled, “I heard some boys arguing outside my door. Fights are common here. The next thing I saw was a boy soaked in blood trying to walk to a clinic. I’ve learned not to interfere — you never know who might turn on you.”
Despite profusely bleeding, Kunal tried to reach a nearby clinic. Mohsin (35), a local resident, said, “I was on my way to offer prayers when I saw some boys running. I asked what happened, and some children told me someone had been stabbed. I rushed ahead and saw Kunal — drenched in blood, trying to walk towards the clinic’s blue door. Even in that state, he had the courage to move, maybe hoping they wouldn’t follow. By the time I reached him, he had already died.”
TOI visited the spot on Friday and found bloodstains along the lane, leading up to the clinic. Locals said the stretch becomes eerily quiet after dusk, making it an easy target zone for such crimes.
Kunal’s mother, in a heart-wrenching statement, said her family had lived in fear of Zikra and her associates. “They’ve been threatening us for a long time. They roam in gangs, post photos with weapons, and even children are scared of them. I know they killed my son. He didn’t deserve this. I want justice.”
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