New Delhi | A dermatologist allegedly killed his domestic help at his residence in an upscale south Delhi area Thursday morning by bludgeoning her with a cricket bat and stabbing her multiple times, suspecting that she practised black magic and was responsible for persistent discord in his family, police said.
He was found standing near the blood-soaked body when police arrived and allegedly confessed to the killing.
Police maintained that the exact motive behind the murder at the doctor's Mount Kailash house is yet to be conclusively established and all angles, including disputes within his family and his mental state, are being examined.
The accused, identified as Dr Manish Gupta, who police said is on antidepressants, allegedly attacked his 45-year-old domestic help, Meena, with a bat before repeatedly stabbing her on his terrace.
The brutal murder has sent shockwaves through the neighbourhood, particularly as it comes barely two months after the daughter of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer was allegedly raped and murdered by a former domestic help in the neighbouring Kailash Hills area.
Police received a PCR call at around 11.36 am from a resident who reported that a woman had been murdered on the terrace of a neighbouring building and was lying in a pool of blood.
"A police team rushed to the spot and found the victim dead. A man in his 50s was also present near the body when they arrived," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southeast) Hemant Tiwari said.
The accused was immediately apprehended and taken into custody. During preliminary questioning, he allegedly admitted that he had first assaulted Meena with a bat and then stabbed her with a knife. Police seized both the bat and the knife from the spot.
DCP Tiwari said the motive behind the murder was still under investigation. "The main motive behind the murder is not clear, and an investigation is underway to ascertain the motive," he said.
However, investigators said the accused has claimed during questioning that he believed Meena practised black magic and that her presence in the house had disturbed peace within the family.
According to sources, the doctor had wanted to remove Meena from employment for the past two to three years but his wife was opposed to the move. This reportedly became a recurring source of tension within the family.
Investigators are also examining whether prolonged domestic disputes, marital discord and the accused's mental health condition may have played a role in the killing.
Sources said the accused was undergoing treatment for depression and was on anti-depressant medication. Police are verifying his medical history and consulting family members as part of the investigation.
The accused's wife is also a doctor and works as an Ayurvedic dermatologist, while their son, aged around 20 years, recently passed Class 12 and is currently unemployed, sources said.
Police are trying to determine whether any argument took place before the murder and whether other family members were present in the house at the time.
According to locals and domestic workers, screams were heard from the terrace shortly before the incident came to light.
Some residents living in nearby towers reportedly noticed a commotion and alerted others after hearing cries for help.
Pooja Verma, a domestic worker who had earlier worked with Meena at the doctor's residence, claimed that some residents had seen more than one person assaulting the victim.
"I used to work with her before. The doctor's clinic is in Saket. He has a son too. He runs a clinic at home as well as outside. Someone saw that some people were beating her. I worked there for seven years. People are saying she was beaten with sticks, a bat and by hand," Verma said.
Police have not confirmed the involvement of any other person and said all such claims are being verified as part of the investigation.
The victim's family members said they were devastated and struggling to comprehend what had happened. "I don't exactly know what happened. She was fine when she left. Someone called me and said she is dead," said Robin, the victim's son.
"She used to work as a househelp there for the past 15 years. My friend called and told me that my mother had been killed. She had left home as usual in the morning. I still cannot believe it," he said.
Robin also alleged that family members were initially not allowed to see the body after reaching the spot.
The victim's brother, Shubho Dhargal, also questioned the circumstances surrounding the murder and said the family was left in the dark initially.
"Every day she used to leave for work as usual. I was informed by relatives that my sister had been killed. When I reached there, police did not allow me to see her body. We only came to know later what had happened," he said.
As news of the murder spread, scores of domestic workers, relatives, neighbours and residents of the area gathered outside the doctor's residence.
Many women who knew Meena were seen crying and demanding strict punishment for the doctor. Several protesters alleged that a woman of her age who worked only to support her children could not have done anything to "provoke" such a brutal attack.
Tense scenes were witnessed outside the house as people raised slogans demanding that everyone responsible for the crime be arrested.
Some among the crowd demanded that the accused be handed over to them, forcing police personnel to step up security and deploy additional staff in the area.
At multiple points, demonstrators surrounded senior police officers, including local officials, and questioned the pace and direction of the investigation. Police personnel spent considerable time pacifying the crowd and assuring them that a fair probe would be conducted.
A crime team and forensic experts inspected the scene and collected evidence. Investigators are analysing CCTV footage from nearby buildings and recording statements of neighbours, family members, domestic workers and the person who made the PCR call.
The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, which is expected to provide further details about the nature of the injuries.
The murder has revived memories of another high-profile case in the area when a 22-year-old IIT graduate and daughter of a senior IRS officer was allegedly raped and murdered by a former domestic help at her residence in Kailash Hills this April.
