Scolded, domestic help kills employer, her teenage son

In an “act of revenge”, a 24-year-old domestic help allegedly killed his employer and her teenage son at their home in Southeast Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar after the woman scolded him, the police said on Thursday.

The accused, Mukesh, a native of Hajipur in Bihar, was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh railway police from a train while he was trying to flee.

The incident came to light late on Wednesday night after Kuldeep Sewani, a resident of Lajpat Nagar-I, called the police around 9.43 pm. He told the police that his wife Ruchika (42) and their 14-year-old son were not answering his calls and that he had noticed bloodstains on the staircase of their home.

“After getting information, a PCR van and our investigation team reached the spot immediately. Kuldeep told us that the main gate was locked from outside and blood was visible on the staircase of their house. The team forcibly opened the door and found the bodies of the woman and her son inside,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari.

According to the police, Ruchika’s body was found in the bedroom with her throat slit, while her son’s body was recovered from the bathroom. Both of them were killed with a sharp weapon. Preliminary investigation revealed that the accused, Mukesh, had been working with the family for the past three to four years. He also assisted the couple at their garment shop in the Lajpat Nagar market and also worked as a driver.

“Initial probe suggests that the incident took place between 7.30 pm and 8.30 pm on Wednesday. Ruchika scolded Mukesh earlier in the day, which might have triggered the brutal act. He first attacked slit the throat of Ruchika and then killed the boy,” an officer privy to the investigation said.

After committing the crime, Mukesh allegedly locked the house from outside and fled with his belongings. Several teams were formed and his photo was circulated to the police and the railway authorities across states. He was traced with the help of technical surveillance and apprehended from a train at the Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in Uttar Pradesh while heading towards Bihar.

“The accused will be brought back to Delhi for further questioning and formal arrest. CCTV footage from nearby areas is being examined to check if any valuables were stolen,” the officer added. A case has been registered and investigation is ongoing.

Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah visited the locality and assured residents that the matter would be probed thoroughly. “The SHO, ACP and the DCP have been worked since last night and the accused was nabbed. Everything must be investigated properly,” he said.

The police cordoned off the area on Wednesday night as panicked residents gathered near the Sewanis’ residence.

Delhi