- By Yashashvi Tak
- Sun, 11 Jan 2026 09:16 AM (IST)
- Source:JND
A 44-year-old woman was shot in the head at point-blank range and died on the spot on Saturday in Delhi’s Shalimar Bagh area. According to police, the victim, identified as Rachna Yadav, may have been killed in connection with the 2023 murder of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, in which she was the main witness.
Rachna, a native of Bhalswa village in north Delhi, served as the president of her neighbourhood’s Residents’ Welfare Association.
Link To 2023 Husband’s Murder
Her killing is now being probed in connection with the 2023 murder of her husband, Vijendra Yadav, which police believe stemmed from long-standing hostility. In that case, Bharat Yadav and five others were named as accused. While five suspects were arrested and are currently facing trial, the prime accused, Bharat Yadav, remains on the run and has been declared a proclaimed offender, a senior police officer told PTI.
Investigators suspect Rachna’s murder was intended to undermine the earlier case and intimidate witnesses, particularly because her testimony was considered vital to the prosecution.
Additional Commissioner of Police (Northwest) Bhisham Singh said the police are reassessing every aspect of the 2023 case, including the role of the absconding accused. Multiple teams have been deployed to track down those responsible.
Shot After Conforming Name
According to the preliminary investigation, Rachna was returning home after visiting a neighbour when she was intercepted by two men. One of them asked her name before shooting her at close range and fleeing the scene with his accomplice.
Police received information about the shooting at 10.59 am at Shalimar Bagh police station. Officers reached the location to find the victim lying in a pool of blood on the road. An empty cartridge was recovered from the spot.
Daughter’s Allegation
Rachna’s eldest daughter, Kanika Yadav, alleged that Bharat Yadav orchestrated the murder to silence her mother, who was a key witness in her father’s murder trial.
"Some of the accused in my father's murder case are lodged in Tihar Jail. Despite that, they are planning such crimes. Bharat Yadav planned and executed my mother's murder," PTI quoted Kanika as saying.
"They were afraid that they would be convicted on the basis of her statement. That is why my mother was killed. My father was murdered in 2023, and the case is still pending before the court," she added.