70-yr-old murdered at her home in Bhandup

THE INCIDENT CAME TO LIGHT ON THURSDAY AROUND 12.30PM WHEN JAIN’S HOUSE HELP CAME HOME AND FOUND HER LYING IN A POOL OF BLOOD. THE ACCUSED FLED AFTER STEALING GOLD ORNAMENTS, CASH WORTH ₹3.5 LAKH

MUMBAI: A 70-year-old woman was found dead in her house at Bhandup on Thursday. Some unknown person killed the woman by slitting her throat with a sharp object and fled after stealing gold ornaments and cash worth ₹3.5 lakh from her house.

Bhandup police have registered a case of murder and robbery against unknown assailants.

The deceased, Ratanben Jain, lived in a chawl alone after her husband died a few years ago.

The incident came to light on Thursday around 12.30pm when Jain’s house help came home and found her lying in a pool of blood. She alerted neighbours as well as Jain’s daughter about the incident. Police was also informed about the murder.

Police said it appeared that some unknown person entered her house between Wednesday evening and Thursday afternoon with the intension of robbery and killed her. The accused might have carried a big knife as the wound does not match that of a kitchen knife, said senior inspector Shyam Shinde of Bhandup police station.

Police recorded statements of her neighbours but no one has seen anyone entering the house. However, the door was not locked from inside when maid went, said the officer.

“The woman’s body has been sent to Rajawadi Hospital at Ghatkopar for post-mortem. We have found footage of CCTV camera installed near her house. A police team is scrutinising the footage to ascertain as to who could have visited her residence. Another team is also conducting an inquiry with few people who have past criminal records in the area,” added Shinde.