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Sacked domestic help, 2 aides attack retd Colonel, kill his 86-year-old wife in Panchkula
Fired six months ago, accused entered the couple’s house with aides; attacked them and their 60-year-old maid with a dagger; arrested within hours, said Panchkula police
In a brazen daylight attack on Wednesday, a former domestic help and his two aides broke into the house of a retired Colonel in Sector 2 and murdered his 86-year-old wife.
Before fleeing, the assailants also brutally attacked Colonel RK Sharma (retd), 87, and his domestic help, Ram Murti, 60, with a dagger.
Acting swiftly, police arrested the assailants within hours. Identified as Vijay, who the colonel had fired around six months back, Bittu and Vijay, all three accused are in their 20s and residents of Majri, said police adding that they were probing the motive behind murder.
The deceased was identified as Sushila Sharma. Colonel Sharma was admitted to a private hospital, while Murti was taken to the civil hospital in Sector 6, Panchkula. The couple live with their only daughter, aged 50, who, as per police, works as a dentist in Ambala and was at work when the attack took place.
CCTV cameras at the house captured the three assailants arriving around 12.20 pm and leaving along with the couple’s driver by 1.40 pm.
The driver, Pradeep, alerted the police around 2 pm, later revealing that the accused forcibly took him along and dropped him at the highway. He is being questioned by police.
Police said the CCTV footage showed a masked man, wearing a cap, entering the house through the gate after ringing the door bell. His two accomplices followed soon after.
“A retired Colonel, his wife and a house help were attacked. Investigations led police to their former domestic help who was thrown out of job about six months back. He was hired through some company,” said Panchkula commissioner of police Sibash Kabiraj, who visited the crime scene.
He added, “Jewellery and other valuables at home are intact, though some amount of cash is missing.”
Accused gained entry to meet Colonel: Injured help
While talking to media, the couple’s injured domestic help, Ram Murthi, said, “A man came home, saying he worked at the house previously and wanted to meet saab. As saab was not well, the man talked to his wife.”
Shortly afterwards, two more men entered the house. One of them gagged her with his hand, with another restrained her, she said. Taking out a dagger, they opened attack on the elderly couple, before turning on her, causing her to lose consciousness.
A case under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the Indian Penal Code was registered at the Sector 5 police station. The police commissioner urged residents not to hire anyone without police verification.
Unsafe senior citizens
The incident once again raised concern over safety of senior residents who live alone in the city.
In January, two masked miscreants, disguised as delivery boys, had attacked and robbed an elderly couple, Vinay Kakkad, 73, and his wife Suman, both retired bankers, of cash and jewellery in Sector 20. The accused had gained entry into their house on the pretext of delivering a parcel around 8 pm on January 8, and had held the couple captive at knifepoint. Before leaving, they took away a gold chain, two gold rings and also snatched the elderly woman’s earrings, causing injury to her ear and blood loss. They also stole ₹4,000 from a cupboard.
Two months later, police are yet to make headway in the incident.
CCTV should be repaired on priority: Vikas Manch
In the wake of crimes against senior citizens, residents’ associations, under the banner of Panchkula Vikas Manch, have demanded repair of CCTV cameras lying non-functional at several points in the city.
“The municipal corporation is more concerned about setting up a welcome gate and beautification instead of ensuring citizens’ safety. Several CCTV cameras installed in public places require repairs,” said Dev Raj Sharma of Panchkula Vikas Manch.
On February 12, a year after the contract for maintenance of CCTV cameras expired, the Panchkula municipal corporation approved ₹2.43 crore for the same.
The civic body has installed 394 CCTVs in Panchkula, majority of which have been non-functional for a long time. But the contract for their maintenance has not been renewed since November 2022.
