Delhi couple, their daughter murdered on marriage anniversary; 20-yr-old son main suspect

NEW DELHI: A middle-aged couple and their daughter were stabbed to death on their 27th marriage anniversary on Wednesday in south Delhi’s Neb Sarai with their 20-year-old son emerging as the main suspect, police said.

The bodies of Rajesh Kumar (51), who had retired from the Army, his wife Komal (46), and their daughter Kavita (23) were recovered from their house in Deoli village early this morning, they said.

The couple's son Arjun claimed that he found the family members dead at around 6:30 am when he returned home from his morning walk. He alerted the neighbours and informed the police, an official said.

However, there were discrepancies in Arjun's alibi and he was detained for questioning, Joint Commissioner Police (Southern Range) SK Jain said.

"We took him into our custody and interrogated him during which he revealed that he committed the crime as he was not having good relations with his parents. He was upset as his parents used to like his sister more than him," Jain claimed.

Arjun, who is a second-year student of Delhi University, got to know that his father was about to give the property to his sister, which angered him a lot, the officer said.

"Sibling rivalry was a reason as his parents gave more importance to his sister. He also got to know that his father was about to give the property to his sister, which angered him a lot.

"In a fit of rage, he conspired to kill the trio and deliberately chose this day (December 4), as it was his when his parents anniversary," Jain told reporters.

Arjun told the police he did not have good relations with his father and other family members. "He is a boxing player but was not good in studies unlike his sister and felt he was given step-motherly treatment from his family," the officer said,

Jain said Arjun would complain that his family members never supported him. He also said that his parents used to beat him. A few days ago, he was scolded in front of some outsiders and he felt humiliated.

The officer said to kill his parents and sister, he used his father's knife (khukri), which is used in the army.

He locked the house from outside and opened it after he came back and went inside, he added.

The police said that they have collected evidence against Arjun which proves that the murder was committed by him all alone.

There are several marks on his hands which appear to have been inflicted during the act, they claimed.

Prima facie, there was no ransacking or theft from the house, and based on the crime scene, it appeared the entire act was committed within an hour, they added.

Speaking about the incident, Satish Kumar, Arjun’s maternal uncle, said, "Rajesh was my brother-in-law. I received a call from my nephew (Arjun) about the incident. Rajesh had retired from the army and was currently working as a security officer. His daughter was a college student and a black belt in martial arts."

Kumar suggested that a financial dispute might have been the motive for the attack.

A case of murder was registered, Singh said, adding that the police have collected CCTV footage from around the area and recorded statements from family members and neighbours.

According to a neighbour, Rajesh, a native of Haryana, owned the two-storey house in which the family had been living for the past 15 years.

It was Rajesh and Komal's 27th wedding anniversary, their relatives said.

Earlier, AAP legislator from Deoli, Prakash Jarwal, visited the victim’s house and spoke with Rajesh's son. “This is a very unfortunate incident. His son asked me, ‘Who will I live for now?’” Jarwal said.

“Someone entered the house and stabbed the victims in their necks,” Jarwal said and alleged that such killings had become a daily occurrence in Delhi.