Two sisters found dead at their home

Suspected poisoning, strangulation

Two sisters, aged 21 and 12, were found apparently strangled and poisoned to death at their rented accommodation in east Delhi’s Khichripur under mysterious circumstances on Friday, police said.

Poonam and her younger sister Swati were found lying on the floor with froth on their mouths when one of Poonam’s friends came to their house. She then raised an alarm. Three police teams have been formed to look into the matter. No arrest has been made so far, said police.

“It was around 10 am that one of Poonam’s friends who work with her in a beauty parlour came here to call Poonam. However, the front door was found to be locked from outside. When we opened the door, we found both the sisters lying unconscious on the floor and froth coming out from their mouths. I then informed police. The family started living there two months back,” said victims’ landlord.

A team of local police then rushed the girls to Lal Bahadur Shastri Hospital where they were declared brought dead.

“There were strangulation marks on the victims’ necks and it is also suspected that they were poisoned. However, we are waiting for the post-mortem reports to ascertain the exact time and cause of death. We are investigating the case from all possible angles,” said Bhairon Singh Gurjar, Deputy Commissioner of Police (East).

A crime and forensics team too reached the crime scene to lift the evidence. “Poonam was in a relationship with a boy from another community who has been identified as Tahir. It is possible that he eliminated Poonam or her parents could also be behind the murders. We have questioned the girls’ parents but it is difficult to pinpoint to one person at this point of the investigation,” said a police officer.

Neighbours had once heard Poonam fighting with a boy in the lane. However, they were not sure what exactly transpired between them. Poonam used to work in a beauty parlour in the neighbourhood while Swati studied in a government school.

Their father Ajit Kumar is a security guard while their mother works in a nearby factory. They are survived by three daughters, all of whom are married. The family belongs to Etah in Uttar Pradesh and had been living in Delhi for 20 years. A case has been registered with Kalyanpuri police station against unknown person, and an investigation is underway.