New Delhi, May 21 (PTI) A 35-year-old man was arrested for allegedly killing a woman and stealing her purse and mobile phone in Delhi's Ranhola area, police said on Saturday.

The accused has been identified as Dinesh Sharma, a resident of old Uttam Nagar, they added.

Also Read | Gyanvapi Masjid Controversy: Court Grants Bail to Delhi University Professor Ratan Lal Arrested for Derogatory Post.

On May 14, the Ranhola police station got information regarding the killing of a woman. On reaching the spot, police found the decomposed body of the woman in a room, they said.

An initial investigation revealed that the legs, hands and mouth of the victim, identified as Preeti (35), were tied with clothes and she was strangulated, police said.

Also Read | Maharashtra: ‘Just Building Ashram Schools Will Not Be Sufficient, What Is Needed Is Quality Education’, Says Ajit Pawar.

The victim was living alone at Mohan Garden for the last four-five years, they added.

During investigation, it was revealed that Preeti's phone number was active. On the basis of technical surveillance and secret information, the accused was nabbed, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer) Sameer Sharma said.

The accused disclosed that he is a drug addict and was previously involved in criminal cases as well. He was released from jail on bail in November 2021, police said.

On the night of May 11, while the accused was on his way to a friend's place on his scooter, he was stopped by a woman at Kali Basti, near the Uttam Nagar terminal, who asked him to drop her to her residence, the DCP said.

The accused agreed and the woman assured him that she will provide smack as well as a room on rent to him, police said.

When they reached the woman's residence, he asked her for smack, but she refused and started quarrelling with him, following which the accused tied her legs, hands and mouth with clothes and strangulated her, police said.

The accused then fled the spot with the victim's purse and mobile phone, they added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)