Man and minor friend held for killing senior citizen in E Delhi

21-year-old man has been arrested and his friend, a minor boy, apprehended for allegedly murdering a senior citizen and stuffing his body in a bed box at his home in northeast Delhi’s Bhajanpura, police said on Monday.

The man, Prem Nath Bhardwaj alias Pawan, was annoyed with the elderly man because his mother was allegedly in a live-in relationship with him and his friends and locals often used to taunt and make fun of him.

AK Singla, deputy commissioner of police (northeast), said the senior citizen, identified as Madan Mohan,61, was living in a rented flat in Bhajanpura. He had retired from Government of India Press a year ago. Mohan’s wife expired three years ago and since then he was living alone. His four children — three sons and a daughter — stayed separately with their families.

After his wife’s death, Singla said, Mohan had employed a woman as a domestic help in his home. Locals told police that for the past seven-eight months, the woman had allegedly started living with Mohan. Hereportedly helped the woman and her husband purchase an e-rickshaw. He had also loaned her ₹2 lakh.

Singla said the police control room on Saturday received a call and the caller claimed that some foul smell was emanating from the third floor flat of a building in C-block, Bhajanpura.

“We found the semi-decomposed body of Madan Mohan in the bed box. The autopsy report showed that Mohan was strangled. A case was registered and investigation was taken up,” said Singla.

During the probe, it was learnt that the woman was not at home when the murder took place. Probe pointed the needle of suspicion on the woman’s son, Pawan, as he was unhappy with his mother’s relationship with Mohan. “When we went to Pawan’s house, he was found missing. Our local intelligence network confirmed his presence near Mohan’s home during the crime,” said an investigator.

A team was sent to his hideout in Mathura but he had left for Delhi. Pawan was caught on Sunday from Khajoori Chowk. His interrogation led to the apprehension of his partner.