Accused had come unarmed, did not intend to kill the victim, say police

A day after Nawraj Kwatra, 65, son of noted Punjabi writer, the late Amrita Pritam, was found murdered in his studio in Borivli, the police suspect that the assailants did not intend to rob and kill the senior citizen, but may have panicked and taken the extreme step after he raised an alarm.

A day after Nawraj Kwatra, 65, son of noted Punjabi writer, the late Amrita Pritam, was found murdered in his studio in Borivli, the police suspect that the assailants did not intend to rob and kill the senior citizen, but may have panicked and taken the extreme step after he raised an alarm.

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Giving credence to this suspicion, the police said that the duo wasn't carrying any weapon as Kwatra’s hands were tied with his own handkerchief, while his legs were tied with a piece, which police suspect was in the studio.

The investigators stated that the duo might have smothered Kwatra to death after he shouted for help. The MHB Colony police have prepared sketches of the accused with the help of neighbours, who saw the duo exiting Kwatra’s studio.

According to Mahesh Patil, deputy commissioner of police, the CCTV cameras in the studio had no recording facility and so no footages were available. The family members of the deceased reached Mumbai on Friday. The autopsy report revealed that Kwatra had died of asphyxia.