In a shocking daylight attack, a 44-year-old woman was executed outside her residence in Northwest Delhi's Shalimar Bagh on Saturday morning. The brutal killing of Rachna Yadav is suspected to be linked to the unresolved murder of her husband in 2023, exposing a grim tale of political ambition and alleged vendetta.
A Brazen Daylight Execution
The incident occurred at 10.59 am on Saturday. According to police, Rachna was returning after visiting a neighbour when two masked assailants intercepted her. One of them stopped her and asked for her name. Upon confirming her identity, the man pulled out a firearm and shot her in the head at point-blank range. She died instantly on the spot, lying in a pool of blood on the road.
The attackers fled the scene on foot. Police, alerted by a PCR call, rushed to the location and recovered an empty cartridge. A case of murder has been registered. The deceased, originally from Bhalswa village, was an active member of her local Resident Welfare Association (RWA).
History of Violence: The Husband's Murder
This tragedy follows the unsolved murder of Rachna's husband, Vijendra Yadav, who was gunned down on May 22, 2023. Vijendra, a history-sheeter from Jahangirpuri with a record of arrests for murder and other crimes, was killed while attending a langar near his property office in Bhalswa.
Police had arrested five individuals for his murder, but the main accused, Bharat Yadav, remains at large. Investigations revealed a bitter rivalry rooted in local politics. Sources indicate that both Vijendra and Bharat aspired to contest the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) polls in 2022 on an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) ticket. This led to public arguments between them on social media. Vijendra was murdered before the party tickets were finalised.
Daughter's Anguish and Allegations of Police Inaction
Rachna is survived by two daughters. Her elder daughter was married in 2022, and the younger, Vrinda, is pursuing a journalism course. Speaking to the media, Vrinda made grave allegations. She claimed her mother was the main witness in her father's murder case and that Bharat Yadav orchestrated the killing to silence her.
Vrinda revealed that after Bharat received anticipatory bail from the Delhi High Court, which was later stayed by the Supreme Court, her mother began receiving repeated death threats. These threats were formally reported to the Shalimar Bagh police station and the court. "If the police had acted on the complaints, my mother might still be alive," a grieving Vrinda stated.
Political Reactions and Questions on Law & Order
The incident has triggered a political blame game. AAP's Delhi president, Saurabh Bhardwaj, took to social media platform X to question the law and order situation. He pointed out that the murder took place in the Shalimar Bagh constituency, barely 400 meters from the residence of local MLA and Chief Ministerial advisor Rekha Gupta.
"Imagine the situation of Law & Order," Bhardwaj posted, indirectly targeting the BJP-led central government which controls the Delhi Police through the Ministry of Home Affairs. The police, however, maintain that the investigation is ongoing and will focus on identifying the shooter and establishing the role of the absconding Bharat Yadav. An officer stated that old grudges appear to have fuelled both murders.
The case concerning Vijendra Yadav's 2023 murder is currently under trial. With this latest killing, pressure mounts on the Delhi Police to apprehend the culprits and unravel the full conspiracy, bringing a measure of justice to a family devastated twice over.
