Vasant Kunj

Suraj’s sister was a class 11 student. The murders came to light around 5 am on Wednesday when a couple in the neighbourhood was returning from a hospital. “We were entering our apartment when we heard Suraj calling out for help. He was leaning against his flat’s balcony and said robbers had attacked him and his family,” said neighbour Renu Verma. Her husband Yogendra jumped from his balcony into Suraj’s home. “I found Mithilesh lying dead in one bedroom and his wife and daughter with stab wounds in another. Suraj had relatively minor injuries on his finger, back and head,” he said.

The couple said the Vermas’ flat had been locked from inside. “It was Suraj who gave us the keys to the main gate,” said Renu. The police were informed and they rushed the four members of the family to a hospital where three were declared brought dead. “Suraj told us that two men had entered the flat and attacked his family for resisting a robbery,” said Renu.

Investigators said Suraj’s version was riddled with loopholes. “The only entrance for an outsider was possible through the balcony. Our investigations revealed no one had entered through the balcony,” said the DCP. Though Suraj had tried to pass off the murders as a robbery bid-gone-wrong, the cash, jewellery and other valuables had been untouched. The DCP said there was evidence to suggest that Suraj was using banned drugs. “Suraj broke down and confessed. Initially, he claimed that his father had killed his mother and sister first. Suraj claimed he killed his father after watching him kill the two. Later, he confessed he had killed all of them in their sleep,” said the DCP. The officer said Suraj had a “reckless lifestyle” that irked his parents and sister. “Suraj told us that academics did not interest him,” said the DCP, quoting Suraj. To stay away from his parents, Suraj and eight friends had rented a flat in Mehrauli, said the officer. “His father would beat him for not studying. The last time he was beaten was on August 15 when he went kite flying instead of tuitions. He also hated his mother for objecting to home visits by his friends,” said the officer.

Police said Suraj grudged his sister for “secretly checking his mobile phone and then reporting his activities to his parents”. “He also said he was sad after killing his sister and had cried over her body,” said an investigator. Investigations revealed Suraj had also faked his own kidnapping in 2013. “No police case was filed then. He had returned a day after,” the investigator added.