An elderly couple was found murdered in their residence in Khar on Thursday morning. The police have launched a manhunt for a domestic help whom the couple had recently hired and who has been missing since Thursday.
According to the Khar police, the couple, Nanak Makhijani (85) and his wife, Daya (81), used to live by themselves in Ekta Elite building on 21st Road in Khar (West). The couple had employed two part-time domestic help, a driver and a full-time domestic help, who only started working for them around 15 days ago.
Neighbour finds bodies
“Around 8.30 a.m. on Thursday, one of the part-time help employed by the Makhijanis reached their residence as part of her daily routine. She became suspicious when she saw milk pouches and newspapers lying outside the flat, as the couple usually woke up early. When repeated knocking and ringing of the doorbell did not elicit any response, she raised an alarm,” an officer with the Khar police station said.
Some neighbours of the Makhijanis then tried to rouse them, but in vain. One of them then propped up a ladder against the bedroom balcony of the first floor apartment to look inside, and saw them lying lifeless on their bed. The neighbour entered the house through the balcony and opened the front door from inside. The Khar police were subsequently informed.
Theft value unkown
The Makhijanis were rushed to Cooper Hospital in Vile Parle, where they were declared dead before admission. The Khar police subsequently found that the full-time help, who used to stay with the Makhijanis, was missing and that the house had been ransacked.
“Prima facie, we suspect that they were smothered to death while they were sleeping. We are still trying to get a sense of what was stolen from the house. The couple’s two sons, who live abroad, have left for Mumbai and will help us ascertain this,” the officer said.
Meanwhile, the police are scanning footage of CCTV cameras around the building to look for clues, and are also conducting inquiries with one of the Makhijanis’ part-time helps, who had recommended the full-time domestic help.
“A case of murder and robbery has been registered under the Indian Penal Code against unknown persons for the moment, and inquiries are under way with all possibilities in mind,” Mumbai Police spokesperson Deputy Commissioner of Police Deepak Deoraj said.
Khar police officials confirmed that the Makhijanis had not registered the details of the full-time help at the police station before employing her.