Gurugram murder spree: Hard to believe suspect killed four, say neighbours

Residents of the area said that upon spotting police in the area, they initially thought that the house had been ransacked in a robbery

Neighbours of a 59-year-old retired army subedar, who allegedly murdered his daughter-in-law and three tenants over suspicions of an illicit relationship, said that they are shocked by the incident.

Gurugram, India - August 24, 2021: Police personnel and people outside the house where a man killed four people including a child at Rajendra Park near Radha Krishna Mandir in Gurugram, India on Tuesday, 24 August 2021. (Photo by Parveen Kumar/Hindustan Times) (Parveen Kumar/HT Photo)

A neighbour who did not wish to be quoted said that the accused, Rao Rai Singh, while exiting the building in the morning told them that he killed the children as there was no one to take care of them. He allegedly told them that his revenge was “justified” as his daughter-in-law was having illicit relations with a tenant.

Mahesh Kumar, a neighbour, said that residents of the locality started calling one other to check the authenticity of the murder reports. “We believed it only after the news channels started gathering outside the building and police officers confirmed the news on camera. No one can believe he has murdered four,” he said.

Residents of the area said that upon spotting police in the area, they initially thought that the house had been ransacked in a robbery.

A second neighbour, who did not want to be named, said that Singh might be taking the blame for a family member.

A shopkeeper in the neighbourhood said, “He wanted the tenants to vacate the house but it is unbelievable that he could kill them over this. He is a god-fearing person.”

Singh took early retirement from the Kumao regiment in 2001 and settled in Gururgam along with his family members, following which he started a real estate business. He was also the vice-president of the residents’ welfare association and took an active role to organise programmes on special occasions.

Sushila Devi, a neighbour, said, “He used to teach underprivileged children in an open school and took one-hour classes every morning between 7am and 8am.”