Autopsy confirms strangulation post assault in rape-murder of IRS officer's daughter, accused sent to 4-days police custody

Several marks of abrasions and abraded contusions on both arms, hands and legs, and a nasal bone fracture were found on the body of a senior IRS officer's daughter, who was raped and killed in her upscale southeast Delhi residence on Wednesday.

The marks indicated struggle and assault and the cause of death has been confirmed as strangulation, according to the post-mortem report.

The victim was taken to the Fortis Escorts hospital where she was declared brought dead, according to Dr Sudhir Gupta, Head of the Forensic Department at AIIMS-Delhi.

Dr Gupta said there were multiple external injuries signalling resistance. "In addition, multiple lacerations accompanied by abrasions were found on the face, along with a fracture of the nasal bone, suggesting blunt-force impact," he said.

Further, severe injuries like intramuscular haemorrhage was observed in the sternocleidomastoid, sternothyroid and sternohyoid muscles. A fracture of both horns of the thyroid cartilage was noted.

All internal organs were found congested, indicating asphyxial death due to strangulation.

"The findings show death due to strangulation following assault. The preserved swabs and nail scrapings have been sent for further analysis to ascertain whether rape took place," he added.

The forensic findings came even as the probe has revealed several chilling details of the crime that was committed in Delhi's Kailash Hills.

According to police, the accused, Rahul Meena, 19, entered the house using a spare key, went to the 22-year-old woman's rooftop study room and attacked her, strangled her with a mobile phone charging cable and struck her with a heavy object.

It is also alleged that Meena raped the woman, who was preparing for civil services examination, while she was unconscious. He then dragged her downstairs and attempted to open a locker using her fingerprint, before breaking it open with a screwdriver and stealing cash and jewellery.

Police said the accused changed his blood-stained clothes and slippers before fleeing, about 30 minutes before the victim's parents returned home.

CCTV footage shows he entered the colony around 6:30 am and left by 7:20 am.

Meena was a former domestic help in the house. He was arrested from a hotel in Dwarka hours after the crime.

He is also suspected to be involved in another rape case in Rajasthan’s Alwar less than 24 hours before getting caught in Delhi, officials said.

The accused was sent to four-days custody police custody on Thursday. Chief Judicial Magistrate Deepika Thakaran allowed the Delhi Police's plea seeking four days of custodial interrogation of the accused.