A horrifying double murder in Lajpat Nagar-I on Wednesday evening has left the residents in a state of shock. Ruchika Sewani, 42, and her 14-year-old son Krish were found dead in their home. Both victims’ throats were slit by the accused. The police discovered both the bodies with the house covered in blood.

“The woman was lying dead, with her throat slit, in a room on the floor next to the bed. When we opened the washroom, the son was lying dead inside, with his throat slit as well,” said an officer at the scene of the crime.

According to reports the accused is 24-year-old Mukesh Paswan. He worked as a driver and shop helper for the Sewani family. He allegedly committed the murders in a fit of rage. This comes after Ruchika scolded him for repeated absences and failure to repay a Rs 45,000 advance.

Crime Discovered by Husband

The horrifying incident came to light around 9:30 PM on Thursday. Ruchika’s husband, Kuldeep Sewani, returned from work and found the door locked from the outside. He also noticed bloodstains on the staircase and was unable to contact his wife or son since evening.

Suspecting something was wrong he alerted the police. Upon receiving the information the police reached the spot immediately. The officers then broke open the door discovering the terrifying site. They found Ruchika lying in a pool of blood beside her bed, and Krish dead in the bathroom. Both the dead bodies were found with deep neck wounds.

Timeline and Motive of the Murder

Initial police investigations revealed that Ruchika had scolded Mukesh earlier that day. She scolded him for his absence from work and his failure to return the Rs 45,000 he had borrowed. Ruchika had also given him a mobile phone. On Wednesday evening, between 7:00 and 7:30 PM, Mukesh arrived at the Sewani residence.

Ruchika let him inside the house believing he had come to discuss work. Instead, Mukesh attacked her with a sharp object slitting her throat open. When her son, Krish tried to intervene, he too was fatally assaulted. Krish’s throat was also slit, leaving him in a pool of blood in the bathroom. Investigators believe the teen tried to escape into the bathroom but was followed and killed.

“He rang the bell and told Ruchika that he needed to pick up products from the godown. Once inside, he allegedly attacked her with the weapon,” the DCP said. “When her 14-year-old son came downstairs upon hearing the commotion, Mukesh, hiding near the bathroom, attacked him as well before fleeing the scene,” the DCP said.

Police Statement

“A PCR van and an investigation team rushed to the spot where Kuldeep reported that the main gate of the house was locked from outside. Bloodstains were seen on the staircase leading to the house,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Southeast, Hemant Tiwari.

“Police forcibly opened the door and found the bodies of the woman and her son inside,” he added. A police officer privy to the investigation said, “Prima facie, the incident took place between 7.30 pm and 8:30 pm on Wednesday.”

Arrest and Ongoing Probe

The police inspected the CCTV footage, it showed Mukesh leaving the building shortly after the estimated time of the crime. An interstate alert was issued by the Delhi police. Mukesh was arrested the same night while attempting to flee to Bihar via train. He was caught at Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Junction in Uttar Pradesh. The murder weapon is still being verified.

According to reports, the Sewani family had been living in the area for over a decade and owned four floors of the five-storey building. Meanwhile, Krish was a bright student at Tagore International School. He was passionate about cricket and played for a local club. The murders have left neighbors and relatives grief-stricken. “A bright life was cut short,” said Krish’s aunt, mourning the loss of the young boy.

“Kuldeep and Ruchika jointly ran the business and their son was a class 10 student,” said DCP Tiwari. “Though he was employed as a shop help in Lajpat Nagar, he also assisted Kuldeep and Ruchika to drive their vehicle,” they said. “The couple scolded him for his irregular behaviour and demanded that he return two mobile phones given to him along with the borrowed money,” police said.