Dehradun woman, 72, murdered over unpaid wages; man held, gold bangle recovered

A 33-year-old man was arrested within 12 hours for allegedly killing a 72-year-old woman in Dehradun over a dispute over unpaid wages.

A 33-year-old man was arrested on Friday for allegedly murdering a 72-year-old woman at her home in Dehradun’s Raipur area following a dispute over unpaid wages, police said, adding that he fled with her gold bangle after the killing.

The deceased’s Dinesh Bansal informed the 112 Control Room on Thursday that his wife, Rekha Bansal, was lying unconscious at their home with injury marks on her face.

The suspect, Vineet Kumar, originally from Uttarkashi district, had been living with his family in a rented house in Dehradun’s Ajabpur Kalan for around 10 years. He had been working as a night security guard at Trilokesh Guest House on Jogiwala Ring Road through BJ Security Services for two years.

He also worked as a helper at Anuj Prakashan, a bookshop owned by Bansal on Dispensary Road, and had known Bansal for around 15 years, police said.

Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Dehradun Pramendra Dobhal said the case was solved within 12 hours and the stolen gold bangle was recovered from the accused.

Police arrested Vineet near Trilok Guest House on Ring Road, the SSP said. During interrogation, he allegedly disclosed details of the incident, following which police recovered a bangle allegedly taken from Rekha Bansal, the metal bangle he was wearing at the time of the incident and allegedly used to assault her, and his mobile phone.

A Forensic Science Laboratory team was called to the spot to collect evidence and conduct photography and videography. Based on a complaint filed by the husband, police registered a case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for murder.

Specialised police teams examined CCTV footage from roads and routes around the crime scene and conducted surveillance. Police also activated their informant network, which helped investigators identify Vineet as the alleged perpetrator.

During interrogation, Vineet told investigators that Bansal owed him outstanding wages and that he had repeatedly sought payment.

On the day of the incident, he allegedly took Bansal’s scooty from the bookshop to his residence. Knowing that the rear door of the house was usually unlocked, he allegedly parked the scooty outside the gate and entered the premises. The deceased was alone at home.

Police officers said Vineet allegedly demanded his pending wages from her, but an argument broke out after she refused to pay him. He got angry and allegedly struck Rekha on the face with the metal bangle he was wearing. He allegedly killed her after she began screaming.

He allegedly removed a gold bangle from her left wrist and fled the house. He subsequently went to a guest house and changed his clothes in an attempt to avoid being identified, police said.

The SSP said CCTV footage from routes around the crime scene, surveillance and information gathered through the informant network played a crucial role in identifying and tracing the accused.

To boost the morale of the police personnel who solved the case, the investigating team was awarded a cash prize of ₹5,000 by the IG, Garhwal Range, and ₹2,500 by the SSP, Dehradun.