Police Turn to Gait Analysis in Ketan Agrawal Murder Probe

When Ketan Agrawal was found dead in his Delhi apartment last month, the shock rippled through the city’s close‑knit community. The 23‑year‑old’s friends described him as lively, studious and, oddly enough, a bit of a night‑owl. That’s why the grim discovery of his lifeless body in the early hours of a rainy Tuesday felt like a punch to the gut.

From the outset, the Delhi Police have treated the case with a mix of urgency and caution. Initial forensics ruled out natural causes, pointing instead to a violent assault. Evidence gathered at the scene—shattered glass, a dented wooden chair, and a few stray hairs—suggested a struggle, but the identities of the aggressors remained frustratingly vague.

Enter gait analysis, a relatively fresh tool in the Indian investigative playbook. In simple terms, it’s the science of reading a person’s walk, the way they place their feet, the rhythm of their stride, even the subtle sway of their hips. By comparing video footage from nearby CCTV cameras with a database of known walking patterns, experts hope to flag individuals whose movement matches the suspect’s silhouette captured on tape.

“We’re not talking about sci‑fi here,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Crime) Anil Sharma during a brief press briefing. “Gait analysis has been used successfully abroad, and our forensic team has been trained to apply it in local contexts.” He added that the method, while not a silver bullet, could cut through the fog of the case, especially when DNA or clear eyewitness testimony is lacking.

The police have already secured several hours of surveillance video from the block’s main street, the elevator lobby, and even a neighbor’s balcony camera. The footage shows a figure—clad in a dark hoodie—darting down the stairwell just minutes before the alarm was raised. The figure’s walk is slightly uneven, a hint that perhaps one leg is shorter or a shoe is ill‑fitting.

Forensic analyst Dr. Meera Joshi, who heads the city’s Gait Identification Unit, explained the process in layman’s terms: “We map the angles of each step, the length of the stride, the pressure points. Think of it like a fingerprint, but for the way someone moves.” She cautioned, however, that environmental factors—wet floors, hurried pace—can alter a gait, so the analysis must be corroborated with other evidence.

Meanwhile, families of the accused, who have been named only as “Person A” and “Person B” in court filings, have expressed frustration. Their lawyer, Rohan Verma, argued that the investigation is leaning heavily on speculative science. “We welcome thoroughness, but we must not let conjecture replace hard proof,” he said.

As the investigation proceeds, the police have also called for public assistance. They have released a composite sketch based on the CCTV images and urged anyone who saw unusual activity near Agrawal’s residence on the night of the murder to come forward.

Regardless of the outcome, the case underscores a broader shift in Indian policing: an increasing willingness to adopt high‑tech forensic methods—be it DNA profiling, digital forensics, or now gait analysis—to chase down suspects. For Ketan’s family, each new lead, no matter how technical, is a thread of hope that justice might finally be served.

In the coming weeks, the forensic team will finalize its gait report, after which the suspects—if identified—will face interrogation and, potentially, charges. Until then, the city watches, waiting for the next piece of the puzzle to fall into place.