Two lawyers from city family killed at home

An aunt-nephew duo was found murdered in their Bhendi Bazaar home on Monday after neighbours reported foul stench emanating from it. Both were practising civil lawyers.

An aunt-nephew duo was found murdered in their Bhendi Bazaar home on Monday after neighbours reported foul stench emanating from it. Both were practising civil lawyers.

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According to the police, prima facie, the motive appears to be personal animosity as no valuables appear to be stolen from the flat.

The deceased, Femida Shaikh, 60, and Arsh Shaikh, 27, lived in the first floor flat of a one-storey building situated on Peru Lane in Pathanwadi area of Bhendi Bazaar. The police suspect the bodies had been lying in the house for over 24 hours as they were found in a decomposed state in the bedroom.

According to the police, both had injury marks on the hands and back. The bodies have been sent to JJ Hospital for postmortem. "It appears that the duo was first assaulted with a sharp object and then strangled. However, we are awaiting medical reports to ascertain the exact cause of death," said a police officer from JJ Marg police station. A case of murder has been registered against an unidentified person.

Since robbery has been ruled out, investigators plan to go through the case histories of the lawyers. "We will be checking the cases the Shaikhs were handling, or had in the past, which could give us some leads," said Ashok Duraphe, assistant commissioner of police.

The crime branch has begun a parallel probe and, among other angles, is looking into the possible involvement of the senior citizen's estranged brother, Iqbal Rafiq Shaikh, who is lodged in Arthur Road jail since 2006 for an extortion case.