Delhi: Ex-AAI official held for killing daughter at home in Dwarka

The police arrested a 65-year-old man on Tuesday for allegedly murdering his 29-year-old daughter at their home in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka on Friday night.

The police arrested a 65-year-old man on Tuesday for allegedly murdering his 29-year-old daughter at their home in southwest Delhi’s Dwarka on Friday night.

The autopsy report of the woman, an MBA degree holder, confirmed that she was assaulted and smothered to death. (Representative image)

The autopsy report of the woman, an MBA degree holder, confirmed that she was assaulted and smothered to death.

Senior police officers said that though the woman’s father, Balwan Singh, a retired Airport Authority of India official, has denied that he smothered his daughter, who was reportedly under mental stress, he has admitted to beating her up following a verbal argument. The reason behind the argument is still unknown.

The woman, Shweta, lived with her parents at their flat in Kamakhya apartments in Dwarka Sector 6. Police said that after completing her MBA, Shweta did not get a job. She then started preparing for competitive exams but even that did not help her get a job. Shweta’s family members have told police that she was under depression as she remained unemployed despite efforts. “Of late, the woman’s behaviour had turned violent and she would even attempt to harm herself,” the officer told.

Surender Kumar, deputy commissioner of police (southwest), confirmed the arrest of Singh. “We are interrogating the woman’s father to ascertain the exact sequence of events that led to her death and the reason behind the murder. The other family members are also being questioned,” said the DCP.

On Saturday around 7 am, Ayushman hospital authorities called the police to inform about a woman who was brought dead to the hospital by her family members.

A police team reached the hospital and took the body in their custody. The doctors told the police about the strangulation mark around Shweta’s throat and visible injury marks on her face and other parts of the body.

“We registered a case of murder when the doctors confirmed that it was a case of homicide and not suicide. The body was later sent to a government hospital mortuary for autopsy,” said a senior police officer.

During the probe, the officer said, investigators learnt that Shweta’s parents were present in the flat when the murder took place. The crime scene was examined and no sign of a forced entry in the flat or ransacking was found. The needle of suspicion pointed towards Shweta’s parents after the police learnt that Shweta had died at least six hours before she was admitted to the hospital.

“We detained the father for questioning after her medical report confirmed strangulation. He was later arrested,” said the officer. Singh is currently associated with a private airline company.