77-year-old killed during robbery bid in Civil Lines

A 77-year-old man was robbed and murdered inside his two-storey house in Civil Lines early on Sunday morning, the police said, adding that they were on the lookout for at least two suspects.

The victim was reportedly sleeping alone on the ground floor when the suspects broke into the house, stole cash stored in cardboard boxes and stabbed him to death, the police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (north) Sagar Singh Kalsi said the victim had been identified as Ram Kishore Aggarwal, who was a property dealer.

“We received a police control room call around 6.50am on Sunday, during which the victim’s son said he found that his father’s throat had been slit. The victim was declared dead by doctors at Sushrut Trauma Centre in Civil Lines. The deceased had four knife injuries on his body,” he said.

An inquiry has been initiated, Kalsi said.

“Some cardboard boxes containing cash were also found missing from the room. The exact quantum of cash missing is yet to be ascertained. A security guard in the area said he spotted two people trying to flee the house in the early hours of Sunday. A case under sections 302 (culpable homicide amounting to murder), 397 (Robbery, or dacoity, with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt) and 34 (Acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) has been lodged… Multiple teams from across the district have been constituted to nab the culprits,” he said.

He said that the murder seemed linked to the robbery, but added that it was too early to confirm at this stage.

HT spoke to some of the victim’s neighbours, who said he rarely had altercations with anyone.

“He was a thorough gentleman, who was very reserved. He also used to avoid public or family functions… Despite being well-off, he always chose to maintain a low profile,” said one of them, asking not to be named.

The security guard who spoke to the police told HT that he did not suspect any foul play as he spotted the men fleeing the house.

“I thought they must have come to take flowers. But once the police arrived, I realised they were criminals. I can identify them if I see them,” he said, asking not to be named.