As New Delhi, India, bids farewell to 2023, the nation is left grappling with the aftermath of a series of shocking murders that have deeply impacted the collective conscience. Each murder tells a chilling narrative, leaving an indelible mark on the social landscape.
One of the cases that shook the nation was the brutal murder of 23-year-old Nikki Yadav, allegedly killed by her 24-year-old boyfriend, Sahil Gehlot. Her body was found stuffed inside a refrigerator in southwest Delhi’s Najafgarh after a heated argument. This gruesome crime unfolded on February 9, 2023, in the Kashmiri Gate area of Delhi.
Another horrifying case was the murder of 27-year-old Shraddha Walkar, who was allegedly murdered and dismembered by her 28-year-old boyfriend, Aaftab Amin Poonawala. He then stored her chopped body parts in a refrigerator before disposing of them in the forests of south Delhi’s Chhatarpur. Aaftab Poonawala was arrested by the Delhi Police on November 12, 2022.
In yet another tragic event, 20-year-old Anjali Singh was found dead on the street after being hit and dragged for several kilometers by a car driven by five youths in Outer Delhi’s Kanjhawala area on January 1, 2023. The fatal incident unfolded when Anjali was riding a scooter in Delhi’s Sultanpuri area.
Gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmed and his brother Ashraf were shot by three men near a medical college in Prayagraj April 15. Atiq Ahmed was named in more than 100 criminal cases, including the Umesh Pal murder case.
In another distressing murder case, Indian teenage girl Sakshi Reddy was allegedly killed after being stabbed multiple times and her head being crushed with a boulder by a 20-year-old man named Sahil in New Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy area on May 28, 2023. CCTV footage depicted Sahil purportedly stabbing the girl multiple times with a knife and then bludgeoning her head with a concrete slab.
These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by Indian society in ensuring safety and justice for its citizens. Individually, each case paints a horrifying picture, leaving behind painful scars that will take time to heal.