Girl thought her murdered grandmother was sleeping

The 15-year-old granddaughter of a woman, who was murdered in east Delhi on Tuesday, initially believed that she was having fun with her by pretending to sleep.

“I said ammi, wake up, I have returned from school. But she never woke up,” Nargis told Deccan Herald.

The 70-year-old woman is suspected to have been killed for resisting a robbery when Nargis was at school.

When she returned, the main door of the house in Trilokpuri Block-32 was found open and a television set was also blaring at high volume.

Police reckon that it may have been done to keep the woman’s voice down and prevent her from raising an alarm.

As part of the initial probe, police have recorded Nargis’ statement. But they are yet to make any breakthrough in the case.

The family hails from Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district. As victim Hasina Begum lived alone in the capital, Nargis had come from Bulandshahr to Delhi around four months ago.
“I used to help ammi in daily household chores. She had also got me admitted to a government school in Trilokpuri Block-27,” added Nargis, a class 8 student.

On Tuesday morning, Nargis had left home for school after preparing breakfast at 7.30 am. Hasina and Nargis used to have their lunch once Nargis returned from school at around 1 pm.

As usual, Nargis returned home and was accompanied by her cousin Reshma, a class 7 student.

“The front door was open, but all the lights were switched off. The TV was being played aloud,” Nargis said.

Nargis and Reshma went to Hasina’s room and saw her lying on the bed.
Nargis tried to wake her up, but Hasina did not respond at all. Nargis and Reshma then informed their neighbours.

A woman named Meena and her daughter came to the house and switched on the lights.
“Hasina’s face was covered with a dupatta. When the dupatta was removed, they saw blood on her face and neck. The jewellery that she was wearing were also missing,” said a police officer. Police were then informed by locals.

A case under sections 302 (murder), 392 (robbery) and 397 (robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death) of the Indian Penal Code has been filed over Nargis’ statement with Mayur Vihar police station.

Several teams have been formed to crack the case, and police have also not ruled out the possibility of involvement of someone known to the family.