A case of brutal murder has been reported in the Shahdara district of the national capital, Delhi, during a wedding ceremony. On Saturday night, a Head Constable from the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) allegedly shot a 14-year-old boy named Saahil for attempting to pick up currency notes thrown during a wedding procession. The bullet hit Saahil in the head, causing his instant death on the spot.
The tragic incident occurred in the Mansarovar Park area of Shahdara. Saahil, who was returning home after an 11-hour shift at a local grocery store, stopped when he saw the celebration on the road. When the wedding guests started dancing and throwing money in the air, Saahil joined the crowd of children to collect the notes that had fallen on the ground.
According to eyewitnesses and information received by Saahil’s family, an individual from the wedding procession grabbed Saahil by the collar and began beating him. When the teenager asked what his mistake was, the accused reportedly flew into a rage, took out his pistol, and shot Saahil in the head.
Tabrez Alam, Saahil’s brother-in-law, stated that neighbours reached their house just five minutes after the shooting and informed the family of the incident. Saahil was immediately taken to Hegdewar Hospital, but doctors declared him ‘brought dead’.
The police took immediate action and identified the accused as CISF Head Constable Madan Gopal Tiwari. Tiwari is posted in Kanpur and was on leave to attend his cousin’s (the groom’s) wedding in Delhi. Initial investigation suggests the accused was allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.
Police detained Tiwari on Sunday and subsequently arrested him under relevant sections for murder and the Arms Act. Senior police officials told the Indian Express that the accused’s background revealed “some mental health issues,” and he often struggled with anger.
The deceased Saahil’s family originally hails from Jharkhand and had moved to Delhi for better wages. The family’s economic condition is extremely poor. Saahil’s father, Sirajuddin Ansari, has been unable to work for months after being paralysed. Due to this, Saahil had dropped out of school and started working at the grocery store at the age of 14 to support his family, earning ₹6,000 per month.
Saahil’s mother, Nisha, said with a broken heart, “He was just coming home from work… He wanted to give us a better life.” Saahil is survived by three brothers and three sisters. Police are conducting a detailed investigation into the matter and are trying to ascertain why the accused was carrying a pistol.
