New Delhi: The brutal murder of a 42-year-old woman and her 14-year-old son allegedly by their domestic help in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar has left the national capital stunned.
The accused, who worked as both a driver and shop assistant at the woman’s garment store in Lajpat Market, allegedly attacked the two in a fit of revenge after being publicly scolded over a pending loan of Rs 40,000. The victim treated him like a family member, one of the co-workers at the shop said.
A native of Bihar’s Hajipur, the accused was nabbed by the Uttar Pradesh police Railway Police from a train while he was trying to flee, police said. The incident came to light when Kuldeep Sewani returned home in the evening on the day of the incident. His wife and son did not respond to his calls, and he realised that there were blood stains on the staircase of their house. It was 9:43 pm when Kuldeep called the police and informed them about the blood and no response from his family.
A police team rushed to the flat following the PCR call. Ruchika Sewani’s body was found in the bedroom, and her son’s in the bathroom. “The horror that unfolded in their home on Wednesday night has left the entire block stunned,” another neighbour of the Sewanis, who requested anonymity, said.
‘He Was Like A Family’
One of the workers at the shop said Kumar was a trusted aide of the Sewanis. “He was not just an employee, he was around all the time. Ruchika treated him like family,” said Rohan, a co-worker at the garment shop. Kumar was one of the four employees at the store. He was living in Amar Colony with his father and elder brother for the last few years, helping manage the daily operations at the shop.
Police investigations have revealed that Kumar had taken leave for eight days to visit his village in Bihar for his engagement. However, he stayed away for 27 days and kept contacting the Sewanis for money during this period. Before leaving, he had taken Rs 45,000 from the store’s owners.
“He came back briefly asking for more money and disappeared again. We had not expected this,” said Prem Sagar, another worker at the garment store. Kumar’s frequent absences and repeated requests for financial help had started to worry his employers. According to the co-workers, both Ruchika and Kuldeep Sewani had recently scolded Kumar and advised him to be more responsible.
On Wednesday, Ruchika Sewani returned home from the shop around 7 pm. Police believe that between 7:30 pm and 8 pm, Kumar arrived unannounced at the Sewani residence and rang the bell. When the woman opened the door, he allegedly attacked her with a sharp weapon, slitting her throat.
Her teenage son, who was in the upper portion of the house, is believed to have heard the commotion and came running. The accused also allegedly stabbed him to death. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari, technical surveillance was used to track the accused, who was caught on board a train at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction. He was attempting to flee to his home in Hajipur.
“He was upset over being scolded. Financial desperation could have added fuel to it,” another police officer, privy to the investigation, said.
Jangpura MLA Tarvinder Singh Marwah visited the area and condemned the killings. Residents have demanded stricter verification of shop workers.
“You trust someone with your house, your children and this is what happens. It is terrifying,” said another resident who did not wish to be named.