Halloween becomes a night of slaughter: Delhi engineer known for flaunting gold killed by friend

NEW DELHI: Delhi Jal Board engineer Suresh Rathi (59) didn't just love gold. He lived in it. He liked to show it off, and his identity was inseparable from the heavy chains around his neck, the thick kadas on his wrists, and the rings that filled the fingers on both his hands.

The show of wealth proved to be fatal for Rathi, who had made a new acquaintance at a local paan shop in Rohini's Sector 24. The man, Bunty, had been invited to Rathi's flat in Pocket 10 a few times for a drink. This established a false sense of trust. Bunty assessed the apartment and, more importantly, confirmed the high value of all the jewellery that Rathi always wore.

His motive quickly turned from opportunity to urgency when Bunty learned a recent market truth on TV — that the price of gold was soaring.

Rathi's jewellery wasn't just a trophy. It was a small fortune. The DJB engineer was an easy target. Bunty saw it as his chance to turn his life around.

He decided to set his murderous plan in motion. The night of Halloween was the night of the slaughter. Bunty arrived at Rathi's flat with a knife in his bag.The last moments captured on the apartment block's camera showed Rathi entering his home, carrying a food parcel, unaware that he was walking to his death.

Once inside, Bunty ambushed him in the most isolated space of the home. He stabbed Rathi in the neck in his bathroom. Bunty didn't linger. He swiftly stripped the gold jewellery off Rathi and vanished.The discovery of the body launched an investigation, but the killer had seemingly evaporated. Rathi's daughter, an officer with the National Security Guards, and other family members were distraught. The case had become a talking point in the clusters of Rohini.

Special commissioner (law and order) Ravindra Singh Yadav formed nine teams to crack the case, each working on a separate angle. "The entry to the house was friendly, indicating that the suspect was known to Rathi. So, a team began to dig deeper," Yadav said. The first critical lead came from the building's exterior surveillance: the CCTV footage confirmed Rathi's final moments and then provided a crucial glimpse of the suspect leaving the scene — a shadowy figure in a black hoodie, carrying a distinct bag. The investigative team started deep technical surveillance, but the killer had been careful. His phone went silent the moment he fled, plunging his digital trail into darkness. The police waited. Their patience paid off. The analysis of Bunty's calls records and IPDR (internet protocol details records) led police to a number with whom Bunty chatted for long hours at night. The cops mounted surveillance on the number.

It was his girlfriend. The signal finally pinged, tracing the device to west Delhi's Vikaspuri. Bunty was hiding in his girlfriend's house. The police descended without warning, and caught him, closing the door on a murder propelled by the greed of gold. "The police found the jewellery and cash. Two mobile phones and a Scooty used by the suspect have been seized," the special CP said. The accused has a criminal history, with the first case pertaining to theft dating back to 2004. He is also involved in cases of assault, rioting and gambling. Bunty was produced in court and taken into remand by police.