Man arrested for killing senior citizen in Delhi

A 29-year-old man was arrested for allegedly robbing and killing a 67-year-old woman at her residence in south Delhi's Hauz Khas area, police said today.

Accused Sunny Thakur had been working as a sanitary worker and painter in the area for the last 15-16 years, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) Romil Baaniya said.

Usha Kumar's body was found inside her apartment on April 23 with multiple injuries to the throat and the head. The crime scene indicated that a scuffle had taken place and the house was ransacked, the DCP said.

Police launched an investigation and questioned a number of suspects after scanning CCTV footage of various entry and exit gates of the colony, and found Thakur's conduct to be suspicious with multiple contradictions in his statement, he said.

Although Thakur initially claimed innocence, but on further questioning, admitted that on the day of the incident, he had entered the apartment at around 12:35 pm with an intention to rob the place after finding the door open, the official said.

However, on getting caught, he tried to smoother and strangulate the victim with a rope and later hit her with a dumbbell and slit her throat with a kitchen knife, the DCP said.

He had stolen five gold bangles, some foreign currency notes, two gold rings, a pair of earrings and two silver chains, all of which was recovered from him, Baaniya said.

In order to escape suspicion, Thakur continued with his daily routine and did not miss work for a single day after committing the crime. He even worked at a few other houses on the day of the murder after changing his blood-stained clothes, he added.