Elderly couple found dead in Ashok Vihar, house ransacked

NEW DELHI: Saturday was supposed to be the birthday of 73-year-old Kaushal Bhutani. However, when her relatives called her phone, they did not get any reply.

Suspicious, some of the relatives went to the house where Kaushal and her 79-year-old husband Ramlal resided.

Later on Saturday, the relatives came to know that the elderly couple was found dead in their house in northwest Delhi's Ashok Vihar Phase-3.

The house was also reportedly ransacked and one of their maids went missing after the incident.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (North West) Milind Dumbre stated that cops are waiting for the post-mortem report, which will shed some light on the exact reason of the double murder.

Police sources claimed that the role of one of the couple's domestic help, Dinesh, who is now absconding, is being looked into.

According to police, the incident came to light when Dulal Sarkar (57), another domestic help working for the couple, came to the house in the morning, only to find the door locked.

He asked the neighbours and even made a call to some of Ramlal's relatives, but did not get any clue.

Soon, police were informed and a team was sent to the spot. Cops then broke open the locked door and found the couple lying dead in one of the rooms.

"Ramlal was on the bed and Kaushal was lying on the ground, bleeding from her head. Every room in the house was ransacked. Cupboards were open and their lockers empty. The couple's phones are also missing," said the DCP.

Dinesh, who was the second domestic help of the couple, used to work after Sarkar would finish his shift during the day.

Dinesh had been recently hired to look after Ramlal, and is reportedly the last person to have been seen with the couple.

On the day of incident, the suspect was supposed to be at the house and should have met Sarkar when he came to the house in the morning.

Police said that a case has been registered at Bharat Nagar police station and search for the absconding attendant is on.

Dumbre said that Ramlal was a retired government official, who had worked in one of the departments of Home Ministry, while Kaushal was a retired government school teacher.

J C Bhutani, a relative of the deceased couple said some of the relatives had planned to celebrate Kaushal's birthday on Saturday. The relatives had planned to cut a birthday cake and a family get-together was on everyone's mind.

"For the last three years, Ramlal had been bedridden due to health problems and Kaushal was taking care of him. I had met them a few days ago, and had taken him to the doctor for treatment," said Bhutani.

According to the relatives, the couple was very humble and very punctual in their day-to-day routine.

Ramlal loved to interact with his neighbours and always kept in touch with everyone, despite his declining health.

Kaushal, the retired teacher, loved to be around kids and would enjoy when the children of her relatives would come to visit her.Police said they have reasons to suspect the role of a domestic help, who is now absconding