Fashion designer, domestic help murdered in Delhi

A 53-year-old fashion designer and her domestic help were found murdered at her plush Vasant Kunj Enclave residence here on Wednesday, due to an alleged dispute over unpaid dues.

The deceased has been identified as Mala Lakhani and her domestic help Bahadur Singh (50).

Lakhani was running a boutique at Green Park area in the national capital and also had a workshop at her residence.

Three persons have been arrested, including her tailor Rahul Anwar, in connection with the crime, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South West), Devender Arya, said.

According to police, Anwar hatched a conspiracy to kill her and loot the valuables in the house.

Initial probe revealed that Anwar had a dispute with Lakhani over payment. On Wednesday night, Anwar, who was working in her home office, allegedly stabbed her. When her domestic help Singh came to her rescue, the accused stabbed him as well.

Jewellery loot

Soon after the crime, Anwar along with two of his relatives looted jewellery and other valuables from the house and decamped in her car. However, fearing arrest, the trio surrendered to police on Thursday morning and confessed to the crime, the police said. Anwar told the police that Mala had not paid his salary for past few months. The police are verifying the claim.

The murder came to light after neighbours alerted the police about a heated argument at night and the house door being left open. On reaching the spot around 3 am, the police found two bodies lying in a pool of blood and the house ransacked, said a police officer. The crime is suspected to have taken place around 10 pm. The bodies have been sent for postmortem.