Double blow for murdered teacher's son

The 13-year-old son of the murdered school teacher broke down as he went about performing her last rites, hours after her brutalised body was found at their Rohini home after a frenetic search.

The 13-year-old son of the murdered school teacher broke down as he went about performing her last rites, hours after her brutalised body was found at their Rohini home after a frenetic search.

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The death of the Class 8 student's only confidant and guide also snuffed out the hope of seeing his parents reunited after a bitter marriage that a court was attempting to fix.

Kaumudi Chaturvedi, his mother, was hit on her forehead, and then her throat was slit, police claimed. They suspect her husband, Hemant Chaturvedi, was involved in the grisly murder.

Kaumudi's body had been placed on the bed, wrapped in a blanket that was soaked in blood. Flesh and blood was splattered on the bedroom walls, pointing to a struggle, the police said.

Only a year after their wedding in 1998, Hemant had abandoned her and their son. He, however, was staying with them in the Rohini flat for the past six months following a court order directing the couple to make a final attempt to resolve their marital discords amicably.

Kaumudi's father, BP Nautiyal, said the family got a call from her son that the main door of the house was locked and her cell phone was switched off.

"I tried to contact my daughter and son-in-law but their cell phones were switched off. Around 10pm, we informed the police," said the mourning father.

"They broke open the door. Kaumudi's body was on the bed and Hemant was missing," he added.

"Everything happened between 5pm and 6pm when their son was out to attend tuition classes in the neighbourhood."

A case of murder has been registered at the Begampur police station.

Policemen have been sent to Hemant's native region of Garhwal in Uttarakhand and other places to track him down.

"We suspect that Hemant is behind the murder. He has been missing since the incident and his cell phone is switched off," BS Jaiswal, DCP (outer), told this correspondent.

A senior investigating officer said that a court case relating to dowry harassment and divorce was on between Kaumudi, a teacher in Ryan International School in Rohini, and Hemant for several years.