NEW DELHI,March5,2012: An Afghan national studying in Russia allegedly stabbed his 21-year-old American fiancee to death at a guesthouse in Jangpura in south Delhi. He was apprehended hours later at IGI Airport on Sunday morning, just as he was about to catch a flight to Afghanistan.The victim, Paimana Khanjar, 21, a US citizen of Afghan origin on her first visit to India, was found dead by a friend on Saturday night, with a knife in her abdomen. Police called it a crime of passion committed by her fiance - Omid Milad Hussain Khill, an Afghan national living in Russia - after she reportedly wanted to break off the engagement.Alert Immigration officials identified Omid at the airport after cops had issued a 'lookout circular' on him. Omid had booked himself on an Air India flight to Kabul.The murder came to light when Paimana's Indian friend, Ridhi (name changed), went to meet her at the guesthouse around 11.30pm on Saturday."When I entered her room, I saw blood all over. Heading to the bed, I saw her lying lifeless with a knife in her stomach. I thought her fiance had also been attacked, so I went to look in the kitchen and bathroom but found no one there," she said. Ridhi raised an alarm and called in the guesthouse staff.Nabbed at IGI moments before great escape
The killer was nabbed within 12 hours of the crime and just minutes before he was to board a flight to Kabul. It would have been a great escape for the American national, but for the swift reaction of Delhi Police and fast thinking by immigration authorities at IGI. And what unfolded was a dramatic sequence of events that led to the arrest of Omid Hussain, hours after he snuffed out the life of the woman he had wanted to marry. A lookout circular was issued to airports across the country, Omid's phone was put on surveillance and all exit points in the city were blocked.A senior police officer, said, "A lookout circular is used by immigration authorities to check whether a passenger is wanted by police. It can be used at immigration checks at international borders, airports or sea ports. In India, the circular has a performa with identification parameters that help police nab absconding criminals."Paimana's friend said the murder was planned days in advance. Speaking to TOI, she said: "Last night, Paimana left home after 10pm and her friend wanted to accompany her. But Omid insisted she can join them only after an hour. He was categorical. Don't come before 11.10pm. So the murder was premeditated."And it didn't take long for cops to identify the killer. Omid was missing from his room, where the murder took place. Additional CP, southeast, Ajay Chaudhry told TOI that investigations were taken up late at night. Teams were quickly formed to execute the strategy. "At first we concentrated on the airport and railway station. Escape routes from the city were monitored and airports were put on alert."Sources told TOI Omid called his parents and informed them about the incident. "They got worried and told him to return. He went to the airport, bought a ticket for Kabul at the Air India counter and entered the airport. He even had his security checks done and was waiting at the immigration counter when he was spotted," a police officer said.Police are yet to clarify whether it was pre-planned murder or a crime of passion. They said the accused will be taken on remand and interrogated.