A 22-year-old woman, who had studied at IIT Delhi and was the daughter of a senior government official, was found dead inside her home in southeast Delhi’s East of Kailash locality. Investigators said she had been sexually assaulted and strangled, allegedly with a mobile phone charger.

According to police, she was alone in the house when the incident occurred, and there were no indications of a break-in. Her family members later found her under suspicious circumstances and alerted authorities.

Police have taken into custody a 19-year-old former domestic worker, identified as Rahul, who had previously been employed at the residence. Officials said he had been dismissed over a month earlier due to complaints about borrowing money from other domestic staff and failing to return it, as well as spending excessive time on online gaming.

He was tracked down to a hotel in the Dwarka area of Delhi, where he was allegedly hiding. Authorities have booked him on charges of rape, murder and robbery. CCTV footage reportedly shows him exiting the victim’s house at around 6:28 am on the day of the incident.

Investigators believe the accused travelled to Delhi from Alwar the previous night and may have accessed the house using a spare key. When officers visited his native place in Rajasthan, they learned he had earlier been implicated in a sexual harassment matter.

Police also said the young woman had completed her schooling at DPS RK Puram before graduating from IIT Delhi. She was preparing for the civil services examination and was known for her achievements in dance competitions. Her mother is a medical professional, and her brother holds a senior role at a multinational firm.

Further investigation is underway to establish the full sequence of events.