India, May 6 -- Caste-based abuse escalated the chain of events that ended in the murder of 26-year-old Tarun Butolia during Holi celebrations in March, the Delhi Police said in their charge sheet filed earlier this week.

The police have named 18 persons as accused in Tarun's murder case and also accused them of being involved in an unlawful assembly. Two minors have also been booked as "aides" in the murder and a preliminary inquiry report (PIR) has been filed, police said.

The charge sheet, a copy of which was accessed by HT, has been filed under sections of murder, mob lynching, voluntarily causing hurt, attempted murder, unlawful assembly, and house trespass of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and sections 3(1)(r), 3(1(s), 3(2)(v) and 3...