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Armed intruders stab woman to death

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI OCT. 25 . A 50-year-old woman was stabbed to death and her daughter-in-law injured by three persons who entered their house at Bara Hindu Rao in North Delhi on Friday evening. The assailants, who had bought Metro Rail tickets in advance, managed to escape because those chasing them were stopped at the station since they did not have the tickets.

According to the police, the murder came to light when the Police Control Room received a call around 8 p.m. saying a woman had been stabbed in a house at Bara Hindu Rao. The police reached the spot and rushed the woman, Shakina Khatoon, to Bara Hindu Rao Hospital, and her daughter-in-law, Annie, to St. Stephen's Hospital. While Sakina was declared dead on arrival, Annie was put under observation.

Investigations revealed that about seven months ago a young man named Iman was employed as a domestic help with the family, which deals in aluminium scrap. About a month ago, he had left the job. A few days ago, Iman came to the family looking for the same job. However, the family refused.

A couple of days ago, another person, identified as Habib, came to Sakina. Giving Iman's reference, he requested her to employ him as a domestic help. Around the same time, Habib's mother, who happened to be working with the household, came there and apparently told Habib to leave the place immediately.

While the family was not sure about the exchange which took place between Habib and his mother, it appeared that the two were not on talking terms. Otherwise, Habib should have known that his mother was already working for the household.

On Friday evening, Habib, accompanied by two other young men, again came to Sakina's house. At that time, only Sakina and Annie were present in the house.

Even as they began talking about employment, Annie went into the kitchen. One of the associates of Habib followed her. Annie objected and asked him to remain outside the house. Upon this, he whipped out a knife and attacked her.

Even before Sakina could respond to Annie's shrieks, Habib and his associate attacked her with knives. Despite being seriously injured, Annie tried calling up her father-in-law's number. However, there was some problem in the telephone, following which she raised an alarm and rushed to the STD booth beneath her house. She managed to inform her father-in-law about the incident. Even as his father-in-law returned, areas residents gathered and gave a hot chase to the culprits.

The assailants were followed till the Metro rail station in the area. But, they managed to get past the security as they were holding tickets, while those chasing them were stopped for not possessing the same. The police said it was clear that the attack was pre-planned.

So far, however, the motive is not clear. The Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), Garima Bhatnagar, said it looked as if robbery was the motive but the assailants could not succeed. Personal enmity too has not been ruled out. A case has been registered at the Bara Hind Rao police station.

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