New Delhi: The morning of what was supposed to be a joyous occasion turned into a nightmare for the Tanwar family on Wednesday. Rajesh Tanwar and Komal Tanwar were all set to celebrate their 27th wedding anniversary, but fate had a cruel twist in store for them. They were allegedly attacked by their son, Arjun, and lost their lives and that of their daughter, Kavita.
As news of the tragedy spread, a silence descended on the neighbourhood in Neb Sarai in south Delhi. Relatives, friends and neighbours flocked to the crime scene, their faces showing a range of emotions from disbelief to sorrow. Saurav, a neighbour who knew the family for years, said Rajesh, the family's sole income earner, worked as a personal security officer for a south Delhi businessman.
"I was asleep when I received the horrifying news. The entire neighbourhood was shocked. I had tutored Rajesh's children. Kavita was an ambitious young woman who aspired to crack the competitive exams," said Saurav.
The Tanwars were deeply respected within the community. Neighbours described them as kind, punctual and always ready to lend a helping hand. "I never once witnessed them engaging in arguments or disputes. They were a peaceable family," a neighbour disclosed.
Deepak, a close relative, recalled his last interaction with his uncle and his cousin, Arjun. He said he messaged his uncle the night before to wish them on their anniversary. Around 4.30am on Wednesday, Deepak said, Arjun sent a reply thanking him. Another relative remembered the couple were planning a small celebration to celebrate their anniversary.
At the scene, police were seen taking Arjun while a police dog followed them to different parts of the house. Later, the cops took the youth to the police station.
Rajesh, according to relatives, was a black belt in karate, while Arjun, also called Bunty by family members, was a boxer and was preparing for the national championships. "The daughter, Kavita, too had learned taekwondo. The father spent a lot on his children's education and their sports," the relative said. Another kin added that the couple were planning to shift back to Mahendragarh in Haryana after both their children settled down.
Sube Singh, another relative, said, "Rajesh retired from the army in 2007 as a naib subedar, a junior commission rank. During his army tenure, he also received training as an NSG commando." He revealed that the Tanwars, originally from Mahendragarh in Haryana, had been living in Delhi for more than a decade now. Singh recalled the last time he saw them — at a relative's wedding in Haryana on Nov 22. "They were the life of the party, radiating joy and warmth as they mingled with other relatives," he recalled.
The murders sent shockwaves through the community. For the residents of Neb Sarai, it was something horrific that had never before occurred in their peaceful locality.