NEW DELHI — 1996 · Murder

The Murder of Priyadarshini Mattoo

SolvedSources: ALast updated: 14 October 2026

Law student Priyadarshini Mattoo, 25, was found dead at her home in New Delhi on 23 January 1996. She had repeatedly complained to police about a fellow student who had stalked her for a long time. The accused was acquitted by the trial court in 1999; the judge wrote that he believed the crime had been committed but could not convict because of serious failings in the investigation. The verdict caused public outrage. In 2006 the Delhi High Court overturned the acquittal, convicted the accused and sentenced him to death. India's Supreme Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment in 2010. The case intensified debate on stalking and the prosecution of influential people.

Date: 1996
Place: Delhi, India, New Delhi, IN
Category: Murder
Case Status: Solved
Coordinates: 28.5921, 77.2285 ↗

Timeline of Events

23 January 1996Priyadarshini Mattoo was found dead at her home in New Delhi.
3 December 1999The accused was acquitted by the trial court.

27 October 2006The Delhi High Court convicted the accused.
6 October 2010The Supreme Court commuted the sentence to life imprisonment.

Sources

Source grade A: several independent sources, at least one an official record or reference work. If you spot a mistake or something missing, report it with "Suggest a correction" in the app.

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