72-YEAR-OLD MAN STRANGLED BY THIEF; TWO HELD

NEW DELHI: A 72-year-old man living alone was strangled to death in the early hours of Friday during a burglary at his home in southwest Delhi’s Sagarpur allegedly by a suspected thief, who had come out of jail nearly three months ago, police said on Sunday.

After allegedly killing the elderly man, who was a building contractor by profession, the suspect fled with his gold chain, ring, ATM card, two cheque books and a mobile phone. He was arrested on Saturday along with another man, Bhanu, whom he had sold the stolen gold jewellery. The prime suspect, identified by his first name Sunny, had made a failed burglary attempt at the elderly man’s house a fortnight ago as well, the police said.

DCP (southwest) Ingit Pratap Singh said the man, identified as Sunil Saigal, lived alone at his home in Geetanjali Park in Sagarpur. His daughter lives in Paschim Vihar.

The police initially suspected it to be a case of accidental death and they believed that the elderly man may have slipped in the bathroom and died due to internal injuries. Saigal’s body was preserved in the hospital’s mortuary and the autopsy is yet to be conducted, said a police officer, associated with the case.

On Saturday, Singh said, Saigal’s daughter approached the police and said some articles were missing from the house.

“We registered a case of murder, house trespass and theft and formed multiple teams to investigate it and catch the suspect,” said the DCP.