The family alleges the victims faced anti-Bihari taunts and abuses by the cop named Neeraj outside the latter’s house in Jafarpur Kalan.
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Pandav Kumar’s mother, Meena Devi, has been drifting in and out of consciousness since Tuesday night. Unable to bear the trauma of her young son’s murder, she was hospitalised on Tuesday night but returned to the protest site outside their home in Uttam Nagar on Wednesday morning. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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Roopesh cannot forget the scene. He had invited the group to his house to celebrate his child’s birthday. Eleven people arrived; only nine left alive, while one is fighting for life in the hospital. “He (the cop named Neeraj) came running towards us, with a gun in hand. He heard us speaking loudly in Bhojpuri; it was 2 AM. He abused our mothers and sisters, and us, for being Bihari, claimed we are taking over the area, and said he cannot even think of buying land. Then, he shot Pandav when Pandav said, ‘Don’t abuse us like that,’” claims Roopesh. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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The family moved to Delhi from Khagaria in the early 2000s. Pandav was the sole breadwinner of the family. His father and mother, both in their sixties, do not work. Pandav, his parents, and his niece live in this room in Uttam Nagar. The shelves still hold his many delivery boxes, symbols of his profession, through which he paid the Rs 5,000 rent. The family now demands that the government should pay compensation for his death. “Those meant to protect us killed our boy,” says Pandav’s mama, demanding the strictest punishment for the police officer. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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During Outlook’s visit, an unusual scene plays out. A Delhi Police member arrives. He sits on a chair at the protest site, where the family and neighbours have erected a tent, and then leaves. He does not speak to anyone or make any inquiries. He just sits for a couple of minutes and then leaves. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
The family has alleged police have been hesitant to help, as the accused is ‘one of their own’. Pandav’s cousin, one of the key witnesses in Jafarpur Kalan, claims the cop just wanted to establish his power ‘over the poor Biharis’.
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This is not the first killing in this family. Pandav’s maami recalls how the eldest daughter of the family, Kajal, was allegedly killed by her in-laws back in Bihar. The family believes it was a murder, though Kajal’s in-laws claim it was a suicide. Against this backdrop, Pandav decided to fight for his niece, Kajal’s daughter. He managed to bring her to Delhi and promised to raise her as his own to honour his dead sister. He never went to college, the family says, as he only wanted to earn and sustain this little family. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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This is where Neeraj (the cop) allegedly shot dead Pandav Kumar while grievously injuring Krishn Kumar, in Jafarpur Kalan. The house across the street is where Neeraj has lived for 16–17 years, rent-free, as the property is owned by his friend Deepak. Deepak insists this was a drunken mistake, and that his friend is very amiable and kind. The family says Neeraj was aggressive, drunk, abusive, and attacked them based on regional bias. According to Roopesh, he flaunted what he called a ‘six lakhs gun’ right before shooting Pandav. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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Neeraj, according to his friend, is a constable posted in Malviya Nagar, but he chose to live in this house as it was rent-free. It is a commercial area, and the room is situated above a real-estate shop owned by Deepak Shehrawat. It was from this house that Neeraj heard Pandav and his friends talking loudly in Bhojpuri at 2 AM and ran towards them, toting a gun in hand. The group is unsure whether he came with a gun to kill or became enraged when Pandav opposed the use of expletives against the group’s mothers and sisters. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
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The family has no doubts that the crime was motivated by regional bias. “There is no property dispute or anything; we don’t know each other. He clearly stated that Biharis are an issue,” claims Pandav’s aunt. The sister, aunt, and other family members echo a single sentiment—the strictest penalty for the cop. The family has also accused the Delhi Police and the government of apathy, and said no one has visited since the killing three days ago. | Photo: Tribhuvan Tiwari
