Mystery over 78-yr-old woman’s death and fire at west Delhi house | Latest News Delhi - Hindustan Times
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Mystery over 78-yr-old woman’s death and fire at west Delhi house

Apr 12, 2023 12:30 AM IST

Even as the police have registered a case, questioned the son of the victim, investigators did not officially share the exact sequence of events.

A 78-year-old woman allegedly choked to death in a fire at her house in a three-storey building in upscale Mansarovar Garden neighbourhood near Kirti Nagar in the early hours of Tuesday, police said, and added that her 49-year-old son, found unconscious on the terrace, survived.

Police said an inspection of the flat showed that fire was started deliberately, but did not immediately name any suspects. (File)
Police said an inspection of the flat showed that fire was started deliberately, but did not immediately name any suspects. (File)

Even as the police have registered a case, launched an investigation and questioned the son of the victim, investigators did not officially share the exact sequence of events. They also did not say if the son was involved in the case, and if the fire was started deliberately.

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Additional deputy commissioner of police (west) Akshat Kaushal said that based on circumstantial evidence found at the flat, a case of murder and mischief by fire and explosive substance with intent to destroy house was registered under Indian Penal Code’s sections 302 and 436 at the Kirti Nagar police station.

Kaushal said the victim, Mahender Kaur, was found unconscious lying in the hall, close to the main door. He added that she was taken to a local hospital where doctors declared her dead.

Visual representation.(HT)
Visual representation.(HT)

“As of now nobody has been named as accused or suspect in the first information report (FIR). The role of the woman’s son, Surender Pal alias Pali, is being investigated. During inquiry, it was found that Pal was depressed for the last six months and his father is hospitalised. His mother was also bedridden. We are investigating the case,” said Kaushal.

Investigators said they suspect that Pal had consumed sleeping pills and fell unconscious due to an overdose.

The police said that Pal was “upset” because he was caring for his ailing elderly parents all by himself as his siblings were settled abroad, and that his father had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of a west Delhi hospital after he fell from his bed in the house around a week ago.

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Additional DCP Kaushal said that around 1am, a neighbour reported a fire to the police control room in the second floor flat of the building. A team from the Kirti Nagar police station reached the building. A team of fire fighters also reached there with two fire tenders.

Delhi Fire Service (DFS) chief Atul Garg said, “Our firemen broke open the door. Two firefighters wearing oxygen masks entered the flat that was full of smoke. They found an elderly woman lying unconscious on the floor, a couple of feet away from the main door. Her son was found unconscious on the terrace. Both were rushed to a nearby hospital, where the woman was declared dead. The fire was doused within 15 minutes.”

Kaushal said that the police team found two burners of the gas stove open. They also found that beds in two separate rooms, were also partially burning. They also saw semi-burnt clothes and one piece of cardboard was found on the terrace where the woman’s son was lying unconscious, he said.

The dead woman had also suffered some burns. “Police are waiting for the autopsy report to ascertain if she died by inhaling toxic fumes or was killed by someone,” an investigator said asking not to be named.

Surender Pal was also taken to the same hospital and later shifted to Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital. Around afternoon, Pal regained consciousness and his statement regarding the entire sequence of events leading to fire at his flat, his mother’s death was recorded, said a second investigator.

Police said Kaur lived in the second floor flat with Pal and her husband. Her two other children – a son and a daughter – are settled in London. Till around five years ago, Pal, who is unmarried, also lived in London. But he moved to India to take care of his parents, police said. They added that Pal ran a paint shop in partnership with his friend.

Neighbours refused to comment on the incident, saying the police has asked them to maintain confidentiality.

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  • ABOUT THE AUTHOR
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    Karn Pratap Singh has been writing on crime, policing, and issues of safety in Delhi for almost a decade. He covers high-intensity spot news, including terror strikes, serial blasts and security threats in the national capital.

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