A 27-year-old sanitation worker of MCD was allegedly stabbed to death while carrying out his duties in east Delhi's Kalyanpuri area on Sunday, triggering protests by his colleagues who called for the arrest of the accused and compensation to his family.
The deceased has been identified as Anil, who suffered serious injuries after being wounded with a knife. He was rushed to a hospital after the attack, but doctors declared him dead. Police have sent his body for post-mortem examination and registered an FIR as part of the investigation.
The killing has raised a lot of concern among the rest of the sanitation workers, because Anil’s work was being carried out in the open daylight. Many of his colleagues met later at the site and held a dharna calling for swift police action and justice for the deceased worker.
A purported CCTV recording of the incident has also circulated widely on social media. But police have not publicly confirmed the authenticity of the viral footage and are reviewing CCTV recordings from the area to establish what happened.
According to the purported footage, the timestamp is about 7:27 am on Sunday. A man wearing a yellow T-shirt can be seen waiting some distance away while Anil was working. The man then appears to take out a sharp-edged object that had allegedly been concealed behind his back beneath his T-shirt.
The footage seems to show the man approaching Anil, and then there is a short verbal clash. The man is then allegedly seen attacking Anil in the stomach, and the supposed recording seems to show the incident taking place in an open public place.
A sanitation worker of Municipal Corporation Of Delhi (MCD) was allegedly stabbed to death in east Delhi's Kalyanpuri area on Sunday, following which several of his colleagues staged a protest demanding the immediate arrest of the accused and compensation for his family.
— Hate Detector 🔍 (@HateDetectors) August 17, 2026
The… pic.twitter.com/ne1laDkGKE
Some people in the vicinity also appear to be stopping after the attack, and a motorcyclist is seen stopping. The footage appears to show that the alleged attacker leaves the area and Anil walks away holding his stomach. He later collapses and remains motionless.
The CCTV material is under investigation, but its authenticity and the exact sequence of events are still unclear, police said. Police have already acquired several CCTV recordings of the surrounding area and are investigating them to identify the attacker and reconstruct his movements before and after the alleged stabbing.
Anil's family also questioned how the incident was communicated to them. Relatives said they had initially received a call from police that Anil had been involved in an accident. When they arrived at the scene, they found out that he had actually suffered stab wounds.
Family members also claimed that Anil was called from behind before the attack. They said he had no known enmity with anyone and were unable to understand why he may have been targeted.
Forensic teams went to the scene and collected evidence as part of the investigation. The investigators are also looking for witnesses who may have witnessed the attack or may have some information about the suspected attacker.
Following the killing, several MCD sanitation workers gathered and staged a protest. They asked for a quick arrest of the accused and compensation for Anil’s family and a government job for one member of the bereaved family. The protesters raised slogans to demand justice and pressed the authorities for action.
AAP MLA Kuldeep Kumar said he was sitting in protest with sanitation workers and demanded justice for Anil. He also called for the immediate arrest of the accused, adequate compensation for the victim’s family and a government job for one family member.
A senior police officer said the motive behind the killing is not known yet and that they are investigating all possible angles. Police also want to know if one person or more than one person carried out the attack.
Multiple police teams have been formed to identify and apprehend the accused. CCTV recordings are being examined, forensic evidence collected, and witnesses are being questioned to establish the complete sequence of events.
The case is still under investigation and police have not yet identified the reason for the attack or the likely attacker. Evidence collected during the investigation will determine what action is forthcoming; the investigation is still ongoing.
For Anil’s family and workers in the sanitation sector, there’s a clear demand: the accused should be identified and arrested, and the bereaved family should receive appropriate support and compensation.
