Retd colonel’s wife killed by assailants at Panchkula house

Tribune News Service

Panchkula, March 6

An 86-year-old woman was murdered while her husband, a retired colonel, and their maid were injured when armed assailants entered their house and attacked them in broad daylight in Sector 2 here today.

The deceased has been identified as Sushila Sharma (86), wife of Col RK Sharma (retd), also 86 years of age. Their maid Ram Murti (60) was also injured in the attack that took place between 1 pm and 1.30 pm.

The police said they had rounded up the three assailants. They were identified as Vijay, the couple’s former servant, Bittu and another accused Vijay, all aged between 22 and 25. They were nabbed from Sector 19 and Majri Chowk, the police said.

The driver, Deepak, is already in police custody for questioning.

Motive unclear

While the police have started investigating the case, officials are yet to uncover the motive behind the attack. Officials failed to comment on the matter. They said the youths only took along some of the cash, and left behind the remaining money and gold jewellery.

Driver’s role under lens

The police are yet to clear the mist around the role of the elderly couple’s driver, Deepak, in the incident. The driver was present in the house at the time of assault, but was left unharmed. He exited the house along with the three youths, raising a question mark on his role in the incident.

Assailants, armed with sharp weapons, entered the elderly couple’s house. They had covered their faces. One of them claimed that he knew the family and started a conversation with them. Later, he, along with his accomplices, unleashed an attack.

The maid, who sustained injuries on her head, said, “The four of us, including the driver, were at the house when the incident occurred. One of them claimed that he used to work here in the past and wanted to meet the owners. Later, he started a conversation with the couple. Meanwhile, two more persons came into the house. They held me from behind and attacked me. Then they attacked the elderly couple,” she said. Ram Murti was admitted to a government hospital in Sector 6. The retired colonel was admitted to a private hospital where he underwent a surgery.

The CCTV footage collected from the house showed four persons, including the driver, leaving the premises. Police officials said the trio did not attack the driver.

ACP Arvind Kamboj said according to the driver, the assailants had taken away his mobile phone and he accompanied them outside for the same. The police took him away for questioning. Police Commissioner Sibash Kabiraj and DCP Sumer Pratap Singh also reached the spot.

Commissioner Kabiraj said, “The attackers ransacked the house and made off with some money. We have collected the CCTV footage of the incident and gathered numerous clues in order to arrest the assailants.” He said as per preliminary investigation, the family had hired a servant in the past.

“The servant came back along with his accomplices and attacked them with sharp-edged weapons,” he said. Rupesh Chaudhary, SHO, Sector 5 police station, said they had registered a case under Sections 302 (murder) and 307 (attempt to murder) of the IPC.

Third such incident this year

• It is the third incident of attack for robbery at a house in Panchkula this year.
• On February 12, three unidentified persons had attacked two members of a family at their house in Sector 5. The attackers were allegedly armed with a knife and made an attempt to rob the two family members around 9 pm, but fled the spot as the latter raised the alarm.
• On January 8, another elderly couple that lived alone at Sector 20 was attacked, taken hostage and robbed. According to the house owner, Vinay Kakkar, the attackers had come posing as delivery boys.
• The two incidents have remained unsolved till date.

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