An 88-year-old woman was murdered while her 94-year-old husband was brutally beaten up during a robbery at their residence in South Delhi’s Safdarjung Enclave area on Saturday evening.

Police said the prime suspect is a security guard employed a week ago. He is missing after the incident. In a CCTV, three persons including the security guard were seen coming out of the building.

The incident took place on Saturday night at around 9 p.m. Locals alerted the police about the incident after they heard shouts for help from the house.

BR Chawla was a retired official from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and was living with wife Kanta Chawla, the police said, adding they had two children who died a few years ago.

Mr. Chawla is undergoing treatment. The police said his wife opened the door following a knock. Before she could understand or react, they barged inside the house, overpowered them and forced them to sit on the sofa.

However, one of them allegedly stabbed the woman with a sharp object when she tried to resist the robbery bid. She became unconscious and fell on the sofa, a senior police officer said.

“They ransacked the house and fled after taking away cash and jewellery kept in other rooms,” said the police officer.

He said they have got major leads. “We are getting details of the suspect security guards from the house help who referred the security guard to the couple,” said the officer.