In a significant breakthrough, the Mohali police have traced the escape route of the suspects involved in the shocking robbery and murder of 66-year-old Ashok Kumari, wife of senior advocate and former additional advocate general of Punjab, Krishna Kumar Goyal. The investigation has taken a dramatic turn with the domestic help, present during the crime, now under intense police scrutiny after allegedly confessing to prior knowledge of the assailants.
Chilling Details of the Crime Night
The meticulously planned crime unfolded in the high-profile Phase-5 area of Mohali. According to police, two accused entered the Goyal residence around 11.40 pm on the intervening night of December 29 and 30. They remained inside for nearly two hours, exiting at approximately 1.26 am. The family was away, with the victim's husband and daughter having travelled to Muscat two days earlier to visit their elder daughter, a doctor. At the time of the incident, Ashok Kumari was alone in the house with only the domestic servant present.
The crime was discovered when relatives and neighbours raised an alarm. Ashok Kumari was found strangled to death inside her bedroom. Preliminary investigations revealed that Rs 8.5 lakh in cash and about 5 to 6 tolas of gold jewellery, kept in a bed box, were missing from the house, pointing to robbery as the primary motive.
The Suspects' Escape Route Mapped
Through meticulous examination of CCTV footage from multiple locations, investigators have pieced together the suspects' escape path. The footage shows the two men walking from the house towards Madanpura Crossing. They continued on foot up to the Chandigarh border near the furniture market crossing.
At this point, they hired an auto-rickshaw. Further CCTV analysis confirmed that the auto-rickshaw dropped the suspects at the Chandigarh railway station. The two men were seen entering the station premises. Police officials have confirmed that the suspects boarded a train, though the specific train's name is being withheld to aid the ongoing investigation.
Domestic Help's Dubious Role Under Scanner
The role of the domestic servant has become a focal point of the probe. Senior Superintendent of Police Harmandeep Singh Hans stated that the servant's role is highly suspicious. "The servant confessed his connivance with the robbers. His role is dubious and he is under full suspicion," the SSP said.
He added that during custodial interrogation, the servant made contradictory statements. "Based on evidence, we believe he had links with the murderers," SSP Hans asserted. Multiple police teams are now working round the clock to arrest the absconding accused. "We identified them and they will be arrested soon," he assured.
The brutal incident has sent shockwaves across Mohali, a city known for its affluent neighbourhoods. Police are intensifying their investigation, focusing on the servant's alleged involvement, the suspects' movements after boarding the train, and any possible assistance they may have received. Further arrests are expected as the probe progresses.
