Greedy grandson murders woman

 A 74-year-old woman found dead in outer Delhi’s Prashant Vihar area last week was killed by her grandson in a robbery attempt. Harshit Jain, 21, was arrested along with his accomplice Gaurav Tyagi on Tuesday.

Kailaswati was found dead at her house in Rohini Sector-13’s Vallabh Vihar Society on Saturday.

“She had blunt injuries on her head and a shawl was tied around her neck. The house was also ransacked,” said Vikramjit Singh, Deputy Commissioner of Police (Outer).

A team led by Prashant Vihar SHO Sanjay Bhardwaj scanned CCTV footage in and around the residential complex.

“Two men were observed entering the complex in the afternoon and leaving around 5.30 pm,” Singh added. The entry into the apartment was also friendly which led police to focus on people known to the family.

The analysis of CCTV footage led to suspicion on Kailaswati’s grandson Harshit which was strengthened when his girlfriend received a mysterious phone call.

“The call was from Harshit. He claimed to have been kidnapped and held hostage at an unknown location,” Singh said. Harshit was arrested.

He told police that he was pursuing BTech from a college in Jaipur in 2012, but could not continue due to health problems. In 2013, he took admission at another college in Greater Noida.

But in the second year, he failed to appear in the exams due to attendance shortage. Harshit then had an altercation with his father and left the house to live at a hostel in
Noida.

Short of funds

Harshit met Gaurav, a contract Delhi Transport Corporation driver, and started consuming alcohol and taking drugs.

Soon, he ran short of funds to manage his lifestyle and girlfriend. His friends were also asking for money which he had taken during his stay at the hostel.

“Harshit then returned to his family’s house in east Delhi’s Laxmi Nagar,” Singh added.
In the last week of November, Harshit’s parents went to Kolkata to attend a wedding and asked him to stay with his grandparents in Vallabh Vihar Society.

Harshit observed that his grandfather used to go for a walk from 3.30 pm to 5.30 pm, while his grandmother remained alone at home.

“Harshit thought his grandmother had lots of jewellery with her,” Singh said.

Harshit hatched a conspiracy with Gaurav to kill his grandmother and rob her.

On December 17, Harshit went to meet his grandparents to observe their routine. On December 18, he and Gaurav went to the society. Harshit hid himself on the roof of the building, while Gaurav went to the house.

Gaurav told Kailaswati that her son Manoj had sent him for repairing an air conditioner.
“Kailaswati turned out to be smarter and contacted Manoj over telephone who refused having sent anybody,” Singh added.

On December 19, Harshit and Gaurav went to Rohini and waited near the park where his grandfather went for his walk. When they saw him there, they sneaked into the building.
Harshit went inside the house and sat with his grandmother. After a while he unbolted the front door.

“Gaurav sneaked into the house and both of them overpowered the helpless elderly woman. Harshit hit her on the head with a brass water jug and both then strangled her with a shawl,” Singh said.

They took away cash, jewellery and other valuables.