In a chilling premeditated attack, a 44-year-old woman was executed in broad daylight in northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday. The victim, Rachna Yadav, was a crucial witness in the murder case of her husband, who was killed nearly three years ago.
Three-Hour Stalk Before Point-Blank Attack
Police investigations revealed a horrifying detail: the assailants had been prowling the area for nearly three hours, presumably lying in wait for Rachna. According to family members, she was returning from the last rites of a neighbour and had stopped at a shack near her house to wash her hands and feet when she was attacked. The shooters hit her at point-blank range, killing her on the spot instantly.
CCTV footage from the vicinity showed two suspects on a motorcycle near Rachna's house before the 11 am shooting. A masked man was also seen in the area. The duo later fled towards Rohini. Police recovered an empty cartridge from the crime scene.
Trail of a Stolen Bike and a Violent Past
The motorcycle used in the crime was later found abandoned in Rohini. Sources stated that its number plate was from a stolen vehicle, and the chassis number had been tampered with, indicating careful planning to avoid detection.
This murder is deeply connected to a past tragedy. In May 2023, Rachna's husband, Bijender Yadav, a property dealer, was also gunned down from close range while sitting outside a bakery in Bhalswa village. Around six rounds were fired in that attack. Bijender had at least nine criminal cases against him, including murder and under the Arms Act, and was believed to have been killed by rivals.
A Family Living Under Threat
The family has lived in fear since Bijender's death. They claimed that a few months after his murder, unidentified men opened fire in Bhalswa village to intimidate them. The threat to Rachna was explicit.
"About one-and-a-half years ago, my mother had been followed and threatened on the way to court, after which she began attending hearings regarding my father's murder on video," said Kanika, 32, Rachna's elder daughter.
Police strongly suspect this to be a case of contract killing intended to eliminate a witness. The main accused in Bijender Yadav's murder case, Bharat Yadav, who is absconding, is believed to be behind Rachna's killing as well.
In response, the Delhi Police have formed around a dozen teams to identify and apprehend the accused. Intensive raids are being conducted in outer Delhi and neighbouring Haryana to track down the perpetrators of this brazen attack.
