The Hindu : New Delhi News : Police release double murder suspects' portraits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Aug 18, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

Police release double murder suspects' portraits

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, AUG. 17. The police on Monday released computer-generated portraits of the two young men who were seen with Pushkin Chandra of USAID and his friend at the farewell party organised at Sanwal Nagar in South-West Delhi this past Friday before they were found brutally murdered.

The portraits were prepared on the basis of descriptions provided by those who were present at the party that night. The witnesses told the police that Pushkin had come to the party along with Vishal and two other friends whom they saw for the first time. It also appeared that the duo did not know each other well. Investigations revealed that one of the suspects had once been seen with Pushkin in Connaught Place here about a month ago.

According to the Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Delhi), Pravir Ranjan, the post-mortem report of Pushkin's body revealed that he had sustained 13 stab injuries, including a deep cut in the neck. Two injuries were inflicted on him after his death.

The nature of injuries suggests that the killers, who used kitchen knives, were filled with rage when they attacked Pushkin. Even after slitting his neck, they stabbed him several times. The two post-mortem injuries indicate that the assailants remained at the spot for some time after they murdered Pushkin and his friend Vishal. The police suspect that after the murders, the killers ransacked Pushkin's Anand Lok outhouse searching for something.

In the light of the evidence collected from the spot, including several photographs of nude men in compromising positions, the police are probing the blackmailing angle and robbery as a motive, especially as Pushkin's Open Corsa car is still missing. A polaroid camera was also found missing from Pushkin's residence, while the photographs and video compact discs containing pornographic material were found strewn around the room.

Enquiries revealed that before leaving for the party around 11-40 p.m., Pushkin had ordered home delivery of pasta and spaghetti from an Uday Park restaurant. The police believe that Pushkin, Vishal and the two suspects had snacks before they left for the party from where they returned between 3-30 a.m. to 4 a.m. when the colony guard was apparently asleep. It is learnt that the police now have some clues to Vishal's background. They are also planning to question Vinod Thakur, who was present at the party and had also gone to the airport to see off their Danish friend, Uffe Gartner, for whom the farewell party had been organised.

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