New Delhi: A horrific double murder has sent shockwaves through the Sarita Vihar area of Southeast Delhi after a 35-year-old woman and her six-year-old daughter were found dead inside their home. Their bodies were discovered late Friday night, February 20, concealed within a bed storage box. Police have identified a neighbor, who is also a relative of the family, as the primary suspect and have launched a massive manhunt to apprehend him.
The victims, identified as Jyoti and her young daughter, were found after Jyoti’s husband, Sudarshan, returned home from his job at an Okhla printing press to find his children waiting outside a locked door.
Discovery of the Incident
The grim discovery unfolded on the night of Friday, February 20. Sudarshan arrived home around 9:30 p.m. to find his two older children sitting outside. The door was locked from the inside, and his wife had been unreachable by phone throughout the day. Sensing something was wrong, Sudarshan and several neighbors broke open the door. Inside, they found the house in disarray with household items scattered everywhere.
A thorough search of the premises eventually led them to the bed storage compartment, where the bodies of Jyoti and her daughter were found hidden. Both were rushed to AIIMS but were declared dead upon arrival. A preliminary autopsy conducted on Saturday indicated the cause of death as strangulation and smothering.
The Investigation and Suspect
Police have identified Deen Dayal, a 35-year-old accountant who lives in the same building and is reportedly a nephew of Sudarshan, as the prime suspect. Early local inquiries suggest a complex motive, with police investigating reports that Dayal allegedly sought a relationship with Jyoti and may have acted out of rage when rebuffed.
A case has been officially registered under Section 103(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which pertains to murder. Multiple operational teams, along with Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) experts, have processed the scene and collected vital evidence. Dedicated police units are currently conducting raids across several locations to track down Dayal, who has been absconding since the incident.
