BENGALURU: A gruesome murder case reported from DJ Halli in Bengaluru has taken a shocking turn, with the arrest of the prime accused, Mohammed Shabeel, in Ajmer, Rajasthan. The accused, who was engaged to the minor victim, allegedly murdered her in cold blood after suspecting her character and fled the city. Bengaluru police tracked him down after a swift investigation and secured his arrest.
The incident, which took place last Thursday, has sent shockwaves across the city, raising serious concerns about rising crimes driven by suspicion and possessiveness. The victim, a minor girl from Kolar district, had come to Bengaluru to stay at her relatives’ house in DJ Halli during the festival of Ramzan.
Engagement and background
According to police sources, Shabeel and the victim had been engaged in June 2025, with the consent of both families. The marriage had also been fixed, and the two families were preparing for the wedding. Shabeel, a resident of Bengaluru, was reportedly in regular contact with the girl, who frequently visited the city.
Despite the formal engagement, the two were said to be meeting secretly on multiple occasions without informing their families. Locals reportedly knew the couple used to meet at an abandoned house near Sakkare Mandi in DJ Halli, but no suspicion was raised, as their marriage had already been arranged.
Suspicion turns fatal
Investigations revealed that after the engagement, Shabeel began to suspect the girl’s fidelity. He allegedly believed that she was in contact with another person, which led to frequent arguments between the two. Consumed by suspicion, he is said to have plotted her murder.
On Thursday morning, around 9 am, Shabeel called the girl and asked her to meet him at the abandoned house, as they had done earlier. Trusting him, the girl left her mobile phone at home and went to meet him without informing her family.
Brutal murder inside an abandoned house
Once the girl reached the dilapidated building, a heated argument broke out between the two. In a fit of rage, Shabeel allegedly attacked her with a knife. He first slashed her chest and then stabbed her multiple times, including in her private parts, in an act of extreme brutality.
Police said that to prevent her from screaming, he held her mouth tightly while continuing the assault. He then slit her throat, killing her on the spot. The victim succumbed to her injuries in a pool of blood inside the abandoned house.
After committing the crime, the accused fled the scene, switching off his mobile phone to evade detection.
Body discovered after search
The crime came to light when the girl failed to return home for several hours. Growing anxious, her parents attempted to contact Shabeel, but his phone remained switched off. Suspicious of his behaviour, they reached out to his family members.
During questioning, Shabeel’s relatives revealed that the couple often met at the abandoned house. Acting on this information, the girl’s family rushed to the location, where they discovered her lifeless body.
Police investigation and arrest
The DJ Halli police registered a case and launched an intensive investigation. Based on technical evidence and leads, police confirmed that the accused had fled to Rajasthan.
A special team was dispatched, and after tracking his movements, Shabeel was arrested in Ajmer. Police sources said he had been hiding there in an attempt to escape arrest.
The accused is currently being brought back to Bengaluru on a transit warrant. Further interrogation is underway to gather more details about the crime and establish the sequence of events.
