Girl found murdered in Delhi on New Year day

A teenaged girl who went to celebrate New Year with friends was murdered in south-west Delhi with investigators on Sunday waiting for post mortem report to ascertain whether she was raped before being killed.

Jennifer, 17, had left her home on December 31 evening to celebrate the New Year with her friends but was found murdered in a vacant plot in Dwarka Sector 14 on Saturday, a senior police official said.

This is the first case of crime against women reported in the capital this year.

The victim, whose parents have died, was residing with her brother in the servant's quarters of Lady Hardinge Hospital. Initial investigations suggested there was "sexual activity" but it could not be confirmed whether it was "consensual or forceful".

Doctors suspect it could be a case of rape. "There are signs of sexual activity. Only a post mortem will ascertain whether it was consensual or rape. We are investigating the matter," Sharad Aggarwal, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West), said.

She was attacked with a blunt object or stone on her head by unidentified persons, he said.

Another investigator said she was first strangled and later the attackers disfigured her face to prevent identification.

Broken stones with blood stains were recovered from the spot. The official said Jennifer had left her house on December 31 evening and was missing since then.

She had told her brother that she was going to R K Puram with friends to celebrate the New Year eve, he said. The official said they were awaiting post mortem report for ascertaining the exact cause of death. "We are probing all angles," he said.