A plumber was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly killing an elderly couple and a domestic help with a screwdriver following an argument over payment for his service in Vishnu Lok Colony in Dehradun, police said. The victims were identified as Rajni Kapoor, 75, and her husband Ramesh Kapoor, 80, and their domestic help Tiliya Devi alias Sheela, 48, who lived in Vidya Vihar.
The accused, identified as Raj Kumar, a native of Bijnor in Uttar Pradesh who has been living in Dehradun for five years, was allegedly called by the couple to carry out plumbing work in the bathroom and kitchen of their house where they lived alone. Police said he was performing services at the victims’ house for the past two years.
According to police, the incident took place on Tuesday afternoon between 2.30pm and 3pm. “At around 3.10pm, the Raipur police station received a call that Vishnu Lok Colony residents had apprehended a thief who had entered into a home. Police reached the spot and found the accused being held by locals. Inside the house, an elderly couple and a woman were found unconscious and injured. They were taken to Coronation Hospital where doctors declared them dead,” said Dehradun SSP Pramendra Dobhal.
Police said a screwdriver allegedly used in the attack was recovered from the spot.
{{/usCountry}}Police said a screwdriver allegedly used in the attack was recovered from the spot.
{{/usCountry}}“During questioning, Raj Kumar told police that he had gone to the couple’s house in the afternoon on their call to carry out plumbing work. After completing the work, an argument broke out over the payment owed him. He then left the house and came back again with the intention of commit theft. He attacked the couple with a screwdriver with the intention of killing them,” Dobhal added. Police said that the domestic help, who worked in a neighbouring house, came to the couple’s house after hearing their cries and tried to intervene. The accused allegedly attacked her with the screwdriver as well.
A gold chain was recovered from the accused, police said.
Police said that CCTV footage from the area showed the accused approaching the elderly couple’s house alone. A murder case was registered at Raipur police station against the accused. “Our investigation in the matter is underway,” he said.