New Delhi: The brutal murder of businessman Rohit Alagh (64) in south Delhi's Panchsheel Park has left the upscale neighbourhood shocked.
Alagh, the son of a businessman and a Japanese national, was discovered dead Monday morning at his ground-floor residence. The victim shared the multi-story home with his two sons — Tushar Alagh (32), a cafe owner, and Reuksh Alagh (29), a musician who lives on the third floor. While the victim lived on the ground level, a tenant resides on the first floor.
Speaking to TOI, Tushar said: "My father retired 10 years ago and has had a simple daily routine since. He'd watch movies, go on walks. He went to the club like every Sunday, and used to go and come back around the same time. There were no previous threats or incidents that we knew of."
"It's very saddening, and our family is grieving right now. He was incredibly close to my son. It's heartbreaking to know that the last conversation we had before he left for the club would be the last time we ever spoke to him," he said.
He added, "We are fully cooperating with the police because we need the truth to come out and to find out who did this to our father."
The club manager confirmed Alagh visited the club with his group of friends on Sunday, just a day before his body was discovered. "He's been a regular for the past 20 years. Every weekend, he'd light up karaoke night with his singing, bringing energy to the entire room," said a staff member at Panchshila Club.
The staff added that Sunday nights were particularly special to Alagh, as he would come specifically for the English music nights. Known for his vibrant personality, Alagh was a familiar figure in the community, often seen taking walks and frequenting the Panchshila Club, just 600 metres away. According to the club's staff, CCTV footage shows Alagh leaving the club around 11.50pm Sunday.
The incident has raised concerns among residents. An 85-year-old neighbour said, "The last time I saw Alagh was when he came to offer condolences after our neighbour passed away. It's absolutely shocking that something like this could happen in our neighbourhood. This area has become increasingly unsafe. Whether the perpetrator was an outsider or someone familiar with the locality, this incident has put us all on high alert."
Most homes in the lane have an extra private security guard, but Alagh's residence stood out as the notable exception, with no private security in place. According to family members and neighbours, the assailants allegedly gained entry through the kitchen located on the ground floor by breaking a glass window and cutting through the mesh.
The property has three entry points — a main entrance, a side gate adjacent to a neighbouring lane and a back entrance leading to a park.
Meanwhile, Delhi minister Saurabh Bharadwaj visited the bereaved family on Wednesday.