Murder of Rinku Sharma
Rinku Sharma (; 10 February 2021) was killed by stabbing in Mangolpuri, Delhi, on 10 February 2021, due to a dispute over the closure of a friend's restaurant.
Background
Rinku Sharma, a resident of Delhi's Mangolpuri area, was allegedly stabbed and killed by four local residents.
Investigation
The Delhi Police arrested nine individuals associated with Sharma's death. Four residents of Mangolpuri were arrested by a team of the Delhi Police’s Crime Branch. On 12 February, the Delhi Police presented a timeline of the events on 10 February that preceded the killing, alleging that Sharma was stabbed at a birthday party owing to a dispute over the closure of a friend's restaurant. Sharma's family responded by asserting that the alleged killers were involved with a previous dispute related Sharma's participation in the Bajrang Dal, the Vishva Hindu Parishad, and being a fundraiser for the Ram Mandir temple at Ayodhya. As of 22 February, a total of 9 people were arrested by the Delhi Police after a review of closed-circuit television footage. The case was transferred to the police department's Crime Branch.
Responses
After Sharma's death, the Hindutva organisation Vishva Hindu Parishad claimed that Sharma was killed for his participation in a fundraiser for the Ram Mandir temple. Sharma's family, on 12 February, also alleged that the killing was motivated by the fundraiser and claimed that Sharma was linked to both the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), a Hindutva paramilitary organisation; Sharma's brother stated that Sharma was a member of the Bajrang Dal, a Hindutva militant organisation. The Delhi Police responded to the allegations via Twitter on 12 February, reasserting that the killing was motivated by the birthday party dispute and stating that "Any other motive alluded to this incident is factually wrong." On 16 February, the BJP stated that it would provide a total of of financial aid to Sharma's family by 26 February.
The North Delhi Municipal Corporation has declared to rename Mangolpuri Chowk in the name of Rinku Sharma.