Elderly couple drugged by domestic help

 An overdose of sedatives administered to a senior citizen couple by a newly appointed domestic help has left them with a deteriorated health and in a critical condition.

The 20-year-old domestic help allegedly intended to rob their house after serving them food laced with sedatives in south east Delhi’s Greater Kailash.

Inder Sen Shahni, 85, and his 76-year-old wife, Santosh Shahni, hired a domestic help, identified as Vinod Yadav, on the reference of an acquaintance, said a senior police officer.  

The couple stayed alone and did not get Yadav’s police verification done before hiring him. They even allowed the accused, hailing from Madhubani in Bihar, to stay with them. The accused tried to impress them at the beginning by cooking them delicious dishes. 

He observed the movement of the couple and their driver Manoj, who was looking after the couple for the last 20 years and stayed in the servant quarters. He also kept a regular check on the schedules of the cleaner Soda Mani, the paper vendor and the security guards of the neighbouring houses.  

After a week of thorough recce, he finally laced their dinner with sedatives.
The couple fell unconscious within half an hour. However, he was unable to locate the cash and valuables in the house. Fearing that the couple died due to an overdose, he fled the house.

On Wednesday morning, Soda Mani found the couple unconscious and with foam in the mouth and immediately informed Manoj. “Manoj called the police control room and rushed the couple to Moolchand Hospital,” said a senior police officer.

Police said the house was not found ransacked. They have registered a case and have deputed various police teams to nab the accused. “We have also sent a team to Bihar to nab the accused,” said the officer.

The couple’s condition is still critical and are undergoing treatment, said a doctor.