Robbers were known to victim

An investigation is on in the case of robbery and murder of Raj Rani, 55, a resident of Geeta Colony. The victim was found gagged inside her house on Friday night.

An investigation is on in the case of robbery and murder of Raj Rani, 55, a resident of Geeta Colony. The victim was found gagged inside her house on Friday night.

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The police said the robbers were probably known to the victim and were even offered tea and snacks.

"At the table, we found three glasses. Rani might have received three visitors, it seems. The kitchen too had tea and snacks lying around. The robbers probably knew the family quite well," a senior police officer, on the condition of anonymity, said.

The police are interrogating a few suspects who have worked with Rani's husband earlier.

The police said that the robbers were aware of Rani’s daily routine. They also knew that there was cash in the house.

"Rani's daughter lives close to her house and had left her son to spend the night at her place. Rani's daughter would take her son around 3:30 pm to her house and send him back again around 9 pm. It was a fixed routine on most days. The crime took place somewhere between those hours," the officer added.

Rani's husband runs a small garment showroom and he had stocked up cash in the house for the weekend.

"He used to distribute the cash on Monday and the robbers were in the know. They knew cash would be lying idle at home over the weekend. They absconded with Rs. 4 lakh from the house apart from some jewellery," the officer added.

Rani was found gagged and her hands were tied when her daughter came to her residence to drop her son at 9 pm.

The police said that the robbers had stuffed her mouth with a cloth when she tried to call for help.

Rani died of suffocation. There was no sign of external injury, police confirmed.