Courier firm owner beaten to death by extortionists in CP

A 44-year-old entrepreneur who owned a courier firm near New Delhi’s Connaught Place area was allegedly beaten to death by three men outside his office on Tuesday night. However, the accused are yet to be arrested.

The reason behind the alleged murder is yet to be ascertained. However, the cops did not rule out probabilities of this being a case of alleged extortion or business enmity.

The victim, identified as Biju Varghese, belonged to Kerala’s Kottayam district and he had started the courier firm, Capital Express Courier, for around eight years. He stayed in Delhi with his wife and children at a rented accommodation in Chilla village near Mayur Vihar Phase I, said a police official. 

He further said his family had left for Kerala a couple of days ago to spend their summer vacation. 

They have been informed of the murder and are believed to be on their way back to the city.

According to the police, a youth came running to the courier office in New Delhi’s Shankar Road at around 11.15 pm and told Varghese that someone was towing away his motorbike, which was parked downstairs. 

Varghese, who was reportedly working late with two other employees identified as John and Vijender, rushed downstairs. After <g data-gr-id="41">sometime</g>, his colleague’s heard him scream and through the window they saw Varghese allegedly being beaten up with helmets and sticks by three men. By the time, they rushed to his assistance, the accused had fled the scene.

One of them called up the police and Varghese was rushed to Lady <g data-gr-id="47">Hadringe</g> hospital where he was declared brought dead. His body was sent for postmortem and a case of murder was registered at the Barakhamba Road police station. Soon, the district police formed a separate team to investigate the case and started questioning the two employees who had witnessed the incident.

“The accused men have been identified with the help of witnesses and CCTV footages obtained from nearby premises. They shall be nabbed soon,” said Vijay Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (New Delhi). 

Singh, however, refused to disclose further details about the victim’s identity.

According to a source, locals in the area have told the police about an alleged extortion racket operating there, which targets business enterprises in the area. However, these claims are yet to be verified.