Strangled with cable, changed bloodstained clothes to cover tracks: Chilling details emerge in Delhi’s Kailash Hills rape-murder case

A 22-year-old IIT graduate and UPSC aspirant was raped and murdered at her south Delhi home, with police alleging a former employee carried out a premeditated attack and robbery using insider knowledge of the household.

The accused, 23-year-old Rahul Meena, had been dismissed from his job at the Kailash Hills residence two months earlier. Investigators say he returned on Wednesday morning, exploiting a hidden smart key and the family’s routine to enter the apartment while the victim’s parents were away.

According to police, Meena confronted the woman, demanded money, and attacked her when she resisted. He allegedly strangled her using a cable and assaulted her, leaving her unconscious before committing sexual assault. Forensic reports have confirmed rape along with multiple injuries.

In a further attempt to access valuables, Meena allegedly dragged the victim and tried to use her fingerprints to unlock a biometric locker. When unsuccessful, he reportedly broke it open and fled with cash and jewellery after changing out of bloodstained clothes.

The victim was discovered by her parents shortly after they returned home. An autopsy conducted at All India Institute of Medical Sciences found that she died due to strangulation, with extensive trauma and multiple injuries.

Police also allege the accused committed another rape hours earlier in Rajasthan’s Alwar before travelling to Delhi. He was later arrested from a hotel in Dwarka the same evening.

During initial questioning, Meena reportedly told a court he committed the crime for money, though the statement is not being treated as a formal confession. A magistrate has granted police custody, describing the case as an exceptionally brutal crime.