Elderly couple found dead inside flat
NEW DELHI:THE decomposed bodies of an elderly couple were found inside their flat in south Delhi’s East of Kailash on Saturday. The woman’s hands were tied in front. Her husband lay dead on the floor next to the bed. There were many naphthalene balls near their bodies. The police have launched a probe to find if it is a suicide or murder.
Police said that the couple — identified as Virender Kumar Khaneja, 77, who had retired as a senior manager of a multi-national consumer goods company and his wife Sarla, 72, a home maker — lived alone at the Mount Kailash apartments, with their elder son — who is a doctor — settled in the US. The younger son of the couple had died of natural causes in 2017.
The couple had registered themselves as senior citizens with the Delhi Police and were last visited by a constable on January 19.
The police, more than 36 hours after the incident having come to light, said that they were probing if the elderly man murdered his wife before killing himself. They, however haven’t recovered a suicide note. Though the door was locked from inside, and there wasn’t any signs of a forced entry — suggesting the role of an intruder — police have not ruled out the the possibility of murder. Investigating officers are also probing if anyone had spare keys to the flat. Police suspect that excessive consumption of naphthalene balls — some of which were found scattered near the bodies — could be one of the reasons behind the couple’s deaths, but are waiting for the autopsy report before drawing any conclusions. Police said prima facie it does not appear that the couple was depressed.
They had recently purchased a car and were socially active.
“It is certainly a case of unnatural deaths. We are trying to ascertain the circumstances under which the couple died. As of now an inquest proceeding under section 174 of the code of criminal procedure (CRPC) has been initiated,” said Chinmoy Biswal, deputy commissioner of police (southeast).“the bodies have been preserved in the mortuary. The autopsy will be conducted once the couple’s son, Amit Khaneja, arrives and claims the bodies,” he added.
Neighbours told police they had last seen the couple on January 19. DCP Biswal said that on Saturday around 10.30am, the police control room received a call regarding an elderly man, a resident of Mount Kailash apartments, not answering his phone. The caller identified himself as a distant relative of the couple.