Police authorities in Panchkula said on Friday that a 72-year-old wife of a retired army officer was killed by her domestic helper following a dispute over a jewellery incident.
The victim, identified as Neera Mehta, wife of former Army captain Manmohan Lal Mehta, was found dead on the rooftop of a house close to her maid’s residence.
The CCTV footage has left residents in shock after the victim’s body was being moved by the maid and her son in an attempt to conceal the crime.
The domestic help, Sunita Devi, her husband Shankar and son Raja were arrested within 24 hours of the murder case on Monday, officials said. As per preliminary investigation, Sunita was upset after being constantly accused of stealing jewellery from Mehta’s house.
The accusations ultimately escalated into a physical altercation, resulting in the immediate death of the victim.
This case came to light after Mehta filed a missing complaint at the police station suggesting that his wife had not returned home.
Mehta told investigators that some gold jewellery was reportedly missing from their residence and that his wife suspected it was Sunita who stole the items.
He said Neera had gone to Sunita’s house to enquire about the missing jewellery but did not return home ever since.
He also told police officials that there was “no incident of robbery or theft in his house. However, his wife told him that some of her gold ornaments were missing.”
Panchkula Deputy Commissioner of Police Aditi Singh said that shortly after the complaint was received, police teams swung into action and started the search for the missing victim.
During the searches, police teams reached the suspected spot and recovered Neera’s lifeless body concealed under a covering on the rooftop. The body was sent for forensic examination.
Following the killing, police authorities have urged senior citizens living alone in Panchkula to verify and submit their domestic workers’ records at concerned police stations.
DCP Singh said Panchkula Commissioner of Police Pankaj Nain had earlier launched a special helpline (9115777026) for senior citizens living alone in the city.
Senior citizens can use the helpline to get domestic workers verified and seek immediate police assistance when required.
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