A month after JNU student Najeeb Ahmed went missing, the Delhi Police on Wednesday claimed to have made some breakthrough into what transpired on October 15, the day of his disappearance.
Ravindra Yadav, Joint CP (Crime), said his team’s investigations helped trace the auto driver whose three-wheeler was apparently hired by Najeeb outside the JNU campus.
“The auto driver has revealed that Najeeb hired his vehicle of his own free will and asked to be taken to Zakir Nagar. However, on the way, he chose to get off the auto while passing through the Jamia Millia Islamia University,” said Mr. Yadav.
The auto fare was paid and the driver, whose identity the police have chosen not to reveal, went his way. What Najeeb did thereafter continues to remain a mystery, police said.
The police have now approached the Jamia Millia Islamia authorities for their assistance. “We are in constant touch with the Jamia authorities,” said the officer.
The probe in the case was transferred to the crime branch on Saturday on the order of the Delhi Police Commissioner, Alok Kumar Verma.
How it was achieved
“We went about identifying the people who had visited the JNU campus around the time Najeeb went missing. We tried to identify all the autos that were in and around JNU at that time. That helped us zero in on the driver whose auto was hired by Najeeb,” said Mr. Yadav.
The breakthrough, he claimed, came on Monday. The police, however, chose to conceal the development from the media.
It was announced on Wednesday, the day the police commissioner enhanced the reward from Rs 2 lakh to Rs 5 lakh for anyone who can help trace the missing student.
