A 36-year-old man who had allegedly murdered a madari (monkey trainer) near New Delhi railway station earlier this month has been arrested by the Crime Branch. He was enraged after the victim resisted his attempts to make his monkeys consume alcohol.

The body of 35-year-old Irfan, a resident of Seemapuri, was found in the early hours of August 15. Police investigations revealed that he had kept some monkeys as pets and organised monkey street shows in the city. “One Ram Babu had been spotted with the victim before he was murdered. He works as a labourer in the parcel area of the railway station. He was arrested and he confessed to having murdered Irfan,” said a police officer.

He disclosed that he was loitering around the railway station on August 14 when Irfan arrived there with his monkeys. They both consumed liquor. In an inebriated state, he attempted to make Irfan’s monkeys drink. Irfan offered resistance, which led to an altercation between the two. He then allegedly hit Irfan several times on the head with a brick and then fled from the spot.

“Ram Babu had been in jail for several years in connection with a murder at Lahori Gate in 1994,” the officer added.