National-level hockey player found dead; cops suspect suicide, family cries 'murder'

New Delhi: A national-level hockey player was found dead in his car, parked outside a friend's home, in south Delhi's Sarojini Nagar area on Tuesday. 

Rizwan Khan, 22, a resident of Subhash Nagar in west Delhi, was a second-year student of Bachelor`s in Arts at the Jamia Millia Islamia. He represented Delhi in hockey tournaments in under-16 level. 

While the cops have it called a case of suicide, the family allege he was killed.

According to police's version of events, Khan went to visit his woman friend - also a hockey player - at her home where he met her cousin. Khan left a bag containing money and his cellphone at their house. Later, around 10:30 pm, he allegedly shot himself dead in his Swift car parked outside the house of the friend, said the police. 

However, Khan's father said that the bag contained Rs 2 lakh that he had given to his son to buy a motorcycle. He tried to reach his son on the cell phone but it was switched off. 

Later, he tried an alternate number to reach the player, but a girl answered the phone and did not tell him her address, the police said. The girl's father received the phone and gave his address later, they said.

Khan's father found his car parked outside the girl's house and saw him lying in a pool of blood inside it, the police said.

"We have found a country made pistol in the right hand of the deceased. A bullet injury was found on the right temple of the body. No suicide note was found on the spot," Romil Baaniya, deputy commissioner of police (South), said.

He added that a team of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory and Forensic Science Laboratory experts, including ballistic and biology division, was called at the spot.

The forensic teams, including the district crime team, have inspected the spot thoroughly, Baaniya said.

The police have launched an investigation. Colony residents and Khan's friend, who had left for Bhopal for a tournament, will also be questioned, said the police. 

With agency inputs