Double murder: ‘Suspect may have killed woman over breakup, daughter for being a witness’

A woman and her daughter were found dead in Delhi; police suspect her nephew killed them after she ended their relationship. The suspect is on the run.

Two days after a 35-year-old woman and her 6-year-old daughter were found dead at their house in south Delhi’s Ali Vihar, police said they suspect the accused killed the woman for ending their alleged relationship and the girl because she was a witness.

Police said a case has been registered (Photo for representation)

Police identified the suspect as Deen Dayal, 35, a nephew of the woman’s husband. Dayal lived in the same building and is currently on the run, police said.

A police officer said the bodies of the woman, Jyoti, and her daughter were found stuffed inside a bedbox at their residence in Ali Vihar near Sarita Vihar late Friday night. “Preliminary investigation revealed that Dayal and Jyoti were allegedly in a relationship, and Dayal was angered when Jyoti wanted to break up with him. It’s not yet clear why Dayal killed the daughter; however, it’s suspected that she possibly witnessed the murder,” the officer said.

Deputy commissioner of police (southeast) Hemant Tiwari said that around 10.30 pm on Friday, the Sarita Vihar police station received a call reporting the discovery of the two bodies.

“The woman’s husband, Sudharshan, works at a printing press and was at his workplace at the time of the crime. He returned home at night to find his wife and daughter missing. He searched the house and found their bodies inside the bedbox. Both were rushed to AIIMS hospital, where the attending doctors declared them dead,” said DCP Tiwari.

“I kept looking for them for two hours but couldn’t find them. Eventually, I saw the bed unkept and opened the bed box. I was shocked when I saw them,” said Sudharshan.

“While initial medical examinations showed no obvious external wounds, the preliminary autopsy report indicated the cause of death as strangulation and smothering. The final report is awaited,” said Tiwari

A murder case under Section 103 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered at Sarita Vihar police station.

Multiple teams have been constituted to crack the case. “One team is analysing CCTV footage from the vicinity to establish the suspect’s movement before and after the crime. Another is examining call detail records and digital communication between Dayal and Jyoti to map the nature and recent developments in their relationship. A third team has been deployed to conduct raids at possible hideouts in Delhi and neighbouring states to apprehend the suspect,” an officer aware of the matter said.

Police said forensic experts also visited the crime scene to collect evidence, including fingerprints, to corroborate the sequence of events. Investigators are questioning family members and neighbours to reconstruct the timeline.

Police said efforts are underway to trace the accused at the earliest.