Man held for murdering 12-year-old stepson in Delhi

A 36-year-old man has been arrested for allegedly killing his 12-year-old stepson in northeast Delhi due to a dispute over his relationship with the boy’s mother, officials said on Saturday (January 31, 2026).

The accused, identified as Wazid Khan, a resident of Shastri Park, was arrested on Saturday (January 31, 2026) following sustained interrogation, they said.

Relatives told PTI that the boy’s mother had married Khan in 2020, a year after the death of her first husband. They alleged that disputes had been frequent at home in recent months, particularly after the children from her first marriage returned from a hostel where they had been staying.

“During questioning, the accused disclosed that he had an ongoing dispute related to his relationship with the mother of the deceased,” a senior police officer said.

The arrest comes a day after the Class 7 student was found dead with grievous injuries near the Shastri Park chowk loop.

Police had received information about the injured child around 9.50 a.m. on Friday (January 30, 2026) and rushed him to Jag Pravesh Chandra Hospital, where doctors declared him dead. The boy had multiple injuries, including wounds on his head and eyes, and marks of severe assault, officials said.

According to police, the boy had gone out to play on Thursday (January 29, 2026) evening after returning from school, but did not come back home. Family members searched for him through the night.

Investigators noted that the boy and his younger brother were dropped at their house around 6.30 p.m. on Thursday (January 29, 2026) by Khan, who worked as an e-rickshaw driver.

A case under Section 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been registered at the Shastri Park police station. The body was sent to Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital for post-mortem examination.

Police said they are verifying all aspects of the case, including the sequence of events and electronic evidence.