Rajeshwar Ram (75), an ex-army man and Parmilla Devi (70), respectively father and mother of Arvind Kumar, an official in the Chief Minister Office (CMO) were found brutally murdered at their house on Thursday.
The elderly couple were slaughtered with a sharp edged weapon. The woman was found murdered in the kitchen, while the septuagenarian was found murdered in the room adjacent to the kitchen, said SP Palamu, Chandan Kumar Sinha. The couple lived alone in their house at Fauji Gali, a name that was for the alley in which the ex-army man had his house.
The SP made it clear that this killing was not for any cash or valuables although one almirah was found broken and things scattered around. Sinha said it was a premeditated murder executed with brutality. It was neither for loot nor theft at all he said.
Sources said the killer or the killers didn’t leave behind anything. The weapon used in the commission of crime was not found by the police.
A track dog was pressed into this crime but it didn’t come out with any potential clue, said one police officer.
Three cups of tea were found in the house and have baffled the police. The third cup suggests the arrival and presence of the third man in the house where this elderly couple was slaughtered.
Sinha said it appears the criminal knew the couple and the couple too knew it as ground realities point towards ‘ someone who knew the family and its strengthening and weakness both.’ The ex-army man had two surviving sons and a daughter all married ones.
Arun Kumar one of the sons of the couple does not live with his parents. He lives four kilometers away from Daltonganj at Shahpur. The deceased’s other son Arvind Kumar who is in the CMO Ranchi is said to be the closest one to his parents. The deceased had a married daughter, who lives two kilometers away at Belwatiker mohalla in Daltonganj.
There is reasonable doubt hovering round a guard of the house. Neighbours of the ex-army man said this guard was the first to enter the house but the man didn’t panic, didn’t raise any hue and cry and posed as if nothing has happened inside the house.
Sinha said there would be a special investigating team to crack the case. Sinha said the twin murder smack of deep seated animosity and revenge.
Former minister K N Tripathi was the first to reach the house. Speaking to the mediapersons Tripathi said the police understand the murder could be the plan and design of someone close to the family.