New Delhi: The Delhi Police has solved the daylight murder of a woman in Shalimar Bagh by using artificial intelligence tools to enhance blurred CCTV footage, leading to the identification and arrest of three men from Bihar, officials said on Tuesday.
Among those arrested is a long-time fugitive who allegedly orchestrated the killing of a 44-year-old Rachna Yadav, a Residents’ Welfare Association (RWA) president of her block.
The police said the victim was set to testify against the men who murdered her husband in 2023.
Investigators initially struggled as available CCTV footage from the crime scene and nearby areas was of poor quality. “AI technology was used to improve the quality of the CCTV footage. Multiple AI-based applications helped obtain clear images of the shooters, leading to the identification of one of the accused as Nikhil,” a senior police officer said.
Rachna was shot dead near her house on January 10. Police have been arrested Nikhil (22), and two others, identified as Sumit (23) and Bharat Yadav (33).
Special Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Ravindra Singh Yadav said a PCR call was received at around 11 am on the day of the incident.
A team found the woman near a park in East Shalimar Bagh with a gunshot wound to her forehead. An empty cartridge and a bullet fragment were recovered from near the spot.
The deceased was wife of Bijender Yadav, who was also murdered in 2023.
Investigations revealed that the killing was linked to a dispute over a 250-square-yard plot on the Swaroop Nagar-Burari road. Bijendra and Bharat had issued threats to each other in the past over the dispute.
Bharat Yadav, one of the accused, was declared a proclaimed offender in Bijender’s murder and carried a reward of Rs 20,000 for his arrest. Rachna Yadav was a key prosecution witness in her husband’s murder case and was actively pursuing the trial.
During investigation, the police analysed footage from CCTV cameras installed near the scene and on possible escape routes, besides questioning passersby and examining the movement of recently released offenders.
According to the Special CP, technical surveillance played a crucial role in the case. Call detail records, dump data and IPDRs (Internet Protocol Detail Records) were analysed, and investigators also examined property-related documents of the deceased family to establish the motive behind the murder.
Police used AI to enhance CCTV footage, identifying Nikhil from Panipat.
Following raids across five states, Nikhil and Bharat Yadav were caught in Katihar, Bihar, and Sumit, the motorcycle driver, was arrested in Panipat. Encrypted communication and a stolen motorcycle
were also recovered.