Former govt official attacked, wife killed during robbery bid

THE INCIDENT TOOK PLACE AROUND 9 PM ON SATURDAY WHEN THE RECENTLY-APPOINTED SECURITY GUARD OF THEIR BUILDING ARRIVED AT THEIR HOME WITH HIS TWO-THREE ASSOCIATES,

NEWDELHI: A 94-year-old retired External Affairs Ministry offic i a l was a t t a c k e d a nd hi s 88- year- old wife stabbed t o death during a robbery bid at their home in southwest Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave, police said on Sunday.

The f o r mer o f f i c i a l , B R Chawla and his wife Kanta Chawla lived alone after the death of their two children a few years ago.

The i nci dent t o o k pl a c e around 9 PM on Saturday when the recently-appointed security guard of their building arrived at their home with his two-three associates, senior officers of the police said.

According to the police, the security guard and his associates barged inside the Chawla house, overpowered the couple and forced them to sit on their sofa.

Police officers said that when Kanta tried to resist the robbery bid, one of the accused stabbed her with a sharp object.

She t hen became unconscious and fell on the sofa, a senior police officer said.

The men then went to their bedroom and managed to flee after taking away all the cash and jewellery kept in their cupboard, he said.

While his wife was l yi ng injured, the man managed to go outside the house to alert the neighbours who informed the Residents Welfare Association president.

The woman was taken to a nearby hospital where she succumbed to the injuries, the police said.

A case has been registered and teams have been formed to nab the culprits, police said, adding that CCTV cameras are also being scanned.