The Hindu : No breakthrough in murder case

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Jan 29, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

No breakthrough in murder case

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 28. The police are yet to make a breakthrough in the murder of 55-year-old woman whose body was found on the third floor of Ambedkar Hospital at Rohini in North-West Delhi on Tuesday. While a hospital guard has been detained for questioning, it is still not clear if the woman was criminally assaulted before she was killed.

The police officials said they were still waiting for the post-mortem report to confirm if the woman, identified as Reva, a native of Kolkata, was criminally assaulted. The body of the woman was found in a semi-clad condition, though there were no physical injury marks on the body.

Meanwhile, the police have detained a security guard, who is said to be an alcoholic, for questioning. They are also questioning Naveen, Reva's son-in-law, and his brothers, Vipin and Pankaj, to establish the exact sequence of events. The police are also trying to gather information from patients and their attendants, who were present in the ward where Sipika, Reva's daughter, was admitted.

What has baffled the police so far is how and why Reva reached third floor which is empty. It is a newly constructed block and no department functions from there. Also, light bulbs are yet to be installed on the floor. Reva's body was found on the stairs leading to the roof from the third floor. The police added that in the absence of adequate security personnel, it was difficult to find somebody who could have seen Reva going to the third floor. As of now only 34 guards are deployed for a hospital which attracts 3,500-odd patients and visitors.

Reva had gone missing under mysterious circumstances on January 26 evening. She had come to look after Sipika who had been admitted to hospital on January 22. On January 24, she delivered a baby boy. The infant was, however, diagnosed as having jaundice.

On Janaury 26, Naveen went out of the hospital in connection with some tests which the doctors had advised for his son. Vipin and Pankaj were also present. Naveen found Reva missing when he returned. Reva's body was discovered the next day by his brothers around 9 a.m.

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