In a chilling development in the Shahdara double murder case, the Delhi Police has zeroed in on the elderly couple's caretaker as the prime suspect. The man, whose identity is yet to be officially disclosed, is alleged to have had access to the main door key and was captured on CCTV near the victims' residence on the day of the incident.
Caretaker Caught on Camera, Raids in Rajasthan
The investigation took a significant turn after officers analyzing footage from various locations spotted the caretaker walking on a road close to the house in Mansarovar Park's Ram Nagar Extension. He was reportedly seen wearing distinctive grey track pants with a logo. A special team from the Delhi Police is currently conducting raids in Rajasthan in an urgent bid to apprehend him, according to information obtained by The Indian Express.
Police sources indicate that the suspect did not act alone and is believed to have carried out the brutal crime with the assistance of two accomplices. The entry into the house is suspected to have been "friendly," suggesting the couple, Virender Kumar Bansal (75) and his wife Parvesh Bansal (65), were familiar with their assailants.
Grim Discovery by Son, Missing Jewellery
The horrifying scene was discovered around midnight on Saturday by the couple's 28-year-old son, Vaibhav. Returning home from a party, he found his parents dead in separate rooms. His cries alerted the neighbours, who then informed the authorities.
While a definitive murder weapon has not been recovered from the crime scene, preliminary findings suggest Parvesh Bansal was strangled. Her husband, Virender, sustained severe injuries to his head and face, likely inflicted by a heavy, blunt object. Adding a possible robbery angle to the probe, some of Parvesh Bansal's jewellery was reported missing from the house after the killings.
Deepening Probe and Possible Motives
The investigation is progressing on multiple fronts. Apart from the search for the absconding caretaker, police have detained several other individuals for questioning to unravel the complete conspiracy. Initial theories being probed include robbery and personal enmity as potential motives behind the heinous act.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam provided background on the victims. Virender Bansal, a retired trained graduate teacher (Science) from a Jyoti Nagar government school, originally hailed from Khekra in Uttar Pradesh's Baghpat district. He lived with his family on the third floor of a building in Ram Nagar Extension. His wife was a homemaker. Their daughter, Ekta Bansal, a primary school teacher, resides in Muzaffarnagar, UP.
In an unfortunate setback for the investigation, CCTV cameras installed at the house entrance and in the immediate street were found to be non-functional at the time. However, footage from other nearby locations proved crucial. The key suspect was also captured on another camera wearing a mask, gloves, and a hoodie, indicating a degree of premeditation.
"The team has found some clues, and we hope to solve the case soon," DCP Gautam had stated earlier, expressing confidence in cracking the case. The police continue to pursue all leads to bring the perpetrators to justice.
