Mumbai: Police held man for killing employer's septuagenarian wife by taping her mouth during robbery

Police arrested a man in connection with the death of a 70-year-old woman, whose mouth was allegedly taped and hands tied by the accused and his two accomplices during a robbery at her house in south Mumbai, an official said.

The 37-year-old accused was arrested from suburban Goregaon, three days after the incident that occurred on the third floor of Yoosuf Manzil on Kashinath Street in Tardeo area, he said. The accused, Sumit Tatwal, worked at the imitation jewellery shop which is owned by the deceased woman's husband, the police said.

The elderly woman, Surekha Agarwal died of suspected suffocation after the robbers, including Tatwal tied her up and gagged her with a tape, they said. Around 6.30 am on Sunday, complainant Madan Agarwal (75), opened the door for morning walk, when the accused trio – two of them wearing masks and another one sporting a cap – pushed him inside the house and locked the door, he said.

They tied up his hands and legs with tape and also gagged his mouth. The robbers then went to the bedroom where Agarwal’s wife was sleeping and tied her hands and legs besides taping her mouth. After that, the robbers decamped with valuables, police said.

When the robbers left the place, Agarwal managed to open the door and raised an alarm to seek help. Hearing his screams, someone from the housing society rushed to help. Soon, other residents joined in and the local police were informed, they said.