Four held for Delhi octogenarian’s murder, burglaries

NEW DELHI - Four people, including a peon at Army Headquarters, were arrested Friday on charges of murdering an 80-year-old man and injuring an elderly woman in their homes Wednesday night in Kalkaji Extension here, police said.

Saleem, Sonu, Dina Bandu Mallik and Usman have been arrested while three more people are on the run, Police Commissioner Y.S. Dadwal said.

Mallik is a peon in the Directorate of Military Intelligence at Army Headquarters. He has been absent from his work for the past one year.

The arrests came after police received inputs that some youths involved in petty theft cases had a hand in the two cases. They used to gather at the Hans Raj Sethi Park in Kalkaji.

“Saleem and Sonu were arrested when they reached the spot (park). Their interrogation led to the arrest of Mallik and Usman,” Dadwal said.

He said a silver coin ‘Ajay weds Sushmita, 23 June 2004′ was recovered from Saleem. The coin was stolen from Gulbani’s house. “This proved their involvement in these incidents,” he added.

Goods worth Rs.4.5 lakh were robbed from the two residences.

Mallik, who allegedly received the stolen materials from the robbers, resold it to Usman, a scrap dealer.

Dadwal said Mallik received stolen goods from Saleem and Sonu, who murdered Janak Raj Likhi at his residence.

Likhi and his neighbour Vidya Gulabani, 75, were attacked and tied up by some men around 3.30 a.m Wednesday in their respective homes. Likhi succumbed to his injuries while Gulabani is being treated at the Holy Family Hospital.