Seventy-seven-year-old music critic Sarojini Bartwal, who was murdered during a robbery at her house in Mayur Vihar Phase-I here, had died almost 24 hours before her body was discovered on Tuesday.
“The post-mortem report suggests that the murder was committed on January 9 around noon. She was smothered and there were some injury marks around her neck suggesting struggle,” said a senior police officer on Wednesday.
The body was handed over to Ms. Bartwal's family after post-mortem on Wednesday afternoon.
Preliminary investigation has suggested that two gold rings, two gold bangles, a gold chain and over Rs.4,000 in cash are missing from the house.
Ms. Bartwal, who had been staying alone since the death of her husband in 2008, was found dead on the floor of the bedroom in her DDA flat on Tuesday around 11 a.m. when one of her part-time domestic helps came to work. The help alerted the neighbours who then called up her son Hemendra, who is a political adviser at the British High Commission.
Mr. Hemendra stays in Ghaziabad along with his family.
The police suspect involvement of someone known to the victim since the entry to the house seems friendly.
“We are examining every possible person who could have got friendly access to the house. The domestic helps and other frequent visitors to the house are being questioned. We have no definite leads as of now, but hope to crack the case soon,” said the officer.
Ms. Bartwal's family told the police that she was very security conscious and did not open door to strangers. She was also registered with the senior citizens cell of the Delhi Police.
