Desperate in Delhi: Man kills employer over pay cut amid COVID-19 pandemic, arrested

A 21-year-old man was arrested from west Delhi's Jharoda Kalan area for allegedly killing his employer, who had slapped him during an argument over salary reduction as his business was severely hit due to the COVID-19 pandemic, police said on Monday.

Tasleem, who worked as servant at a dairy owned by 45-year-old Om Prakash, hit his employer on the head with a wooden stick, slit his neck with a knife, put it in a gunny bag and threw it in a well nearby, police said.

Tasleem, a native of Shamli in Uttar Pradesh, was earlier working at a hotel in Bahadurgarh and was introduced to Prakash in June by a relative.

The monthly salary of the accused was fixed at Rs 15,000 after which he started working as a servant at the dairy, police said.

A missing person report was registered on August 12 by the victim's nephew. In the report, the nephew said his uncle had been missing since the intervening night of August 10 and 11 and was last seen with the servant, police said.

A few days later, the decomposed body of the victim was recovered from a well after which a murder case was registered at Baba Haridas Nagar police station.

When the police initiated the investigation, it found that the accused had disappeared, taking with him the victim's motorcycle and mobile.

Raids were conducted at various places in Shamli, Panipat and other areas in Haryana but Tasleem was not found, police said.

The police finally arrested Tasleem on Sunday after receiving information that he was seen in Jharoda Kalan area, said Anto Alphonse, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Dwarka).

During interrogation, Tasleem confessed that he had killed Prakash following an argument over salary.

He told police that his salary was fixed at Rs 15,000 per month but as the business was hit due to the coronavirus-triggered lockdown, Prakash had asked him to work on a lower salary which led to an argument. Prakash had then slapped him, Tasleem told police.

Tasleem told the police that after Prakash went to sleep, he hit him on his head with a wooden stick and slit his neck with a knife. He then packed the body in a gunny bag and threw it in a well nearby.

The police have recovered two mobile phones along with the knife used in the crime, the DCP said.