Vimla Tiwari murder: Entry friendly, killers were known, say cops

NEW DELHI: Tucked in the by-lanes of Ashok Vihar, near Shahdara, the house of Vimla Tiwari wore a desolate look.

NEW DELHI: Tucked in the by-lanes of Ashok Vihar, near Shahdara, the house of Vimla Tiwari wore a desolate look.

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The Tiwari family has witnessed three mysterious deaths in the last six years, the last being that of Vimla. The 62-year-old woman was found dead at her home on Sunday around 11:30am.

Her son Ankit Tiwari, who lives a stone’s throw away in the next lane, was called by the neighbours after one of them spotted Vimla dead in the drawing room.

“This is the job of an insider. Only she had the keys of the house and there are no signs of a forced entry. My mother was disturbed after my father was shot dead in 2011, a year after my brother mysteriously committed suicide,” said 35-year-old Ankit, who works with Delhi Transport Corporation.

Vimla was a political worker and ran an NGO to fight dowry cases. The police found strangulation marks and a wound. Relatives said the room was open when they entered to find her body on the floor in a night-dress.

Neighbours said Vimla was a recluse. She used to listen to religious chants every morning, something that didn’t happen on Sunday. This break from her routine along with the stench from her house led them to her body.

“She loved gardening. That was the only thing that gave her solace. For one hour every morning, she would tend to her plants. I saw her last on Friday, while she was walking towards her house. On Saturday, the main gate of her house was open but no one came or went or suspected murder,” said Vimla’s neighbour Savita Chauhan.

Police and investigating officers said she was first strangulated and then bludgeoned to death with a heavy object. The entry was not forced and police found glasses a room, suggesting she may have offered water to her killers.

“She may have been murdered on Sunday afternoon. We haven’t made any breakthrough and are investigating other possible angles,” a senior police officer associated with the probe said.