A chilling homicide has sent shockwaves through the Motichur Railway Line area in Dehradun, where a 65-year-old woman, Khezani Devi, was found dead under suspicious circumstances in her rented accommodation. The incident, which unfolded in Bhagat Singh Colony, has left the local community in a state of panic due to the brutality of the crime and the specific detail that the room was locked from the outside after the murder. The victim, who was living with her six-year-old granddaughter to facilitate the childтАЩs education, was discovered with distinct injuries on her face, raising immediate questions about the identity and motive of the attacker.
The tragedy emerged on Monday when Khezani Devi, following her routine of dropping her granddaughter at school, participated in a religious puja in the neighborhood before returning to her room. However, when she failed to pick up the child after school hours, the school administration alerted the family. Her son-in-law, Pankaj Thapa, rushed to the rented room to find the door tightly locked from the outside and the womanтАЩs mobile phone unreachable. Despite repeated attempts to gain entry and search for the victim throughout the day, the lock remained intact, prompting Thapa to contact Khezani DeviтАЩs son, Sanjay Pundir, who resides in their ancestral home at Katal Gadul village in Rani Pokhari.
Upon reaching the scene, Sanjay Pundir and police broke open the door to discover the horrifying truth inside. Khezani Devi was found lying dead in the bathroom, with visible marks of a sharp weapon on her right cheek. The sealed door suggests that the perpetrator planned the attack meticulously, ensuring no one could enter or exit easily, or perhaps intended to create an illusion of a suicide or accident before realizing the gravity of the situation. A case has been registered against an unknown offender based on the complaint filed by Sanjay Pundir, and the police have taken custody of the body for a detailed forensic examination.
Investigative authorities are currently focusing on the fact that the victimтАЩs daily routine was well-known, particularly the window of opportunity created when she was left alone in the room while her granddaughter was at school. Police are scrutinizing whether the assailant was familiar with these habits, suggesting a targeted attack rather than a random act of violence. In response to the complex nature of the case, the Raivala police station has deployed five dedicated investigation teams to gather intelligence from neighbors and residents in the vicinity.
As the police continue their probe, forensic experts are analyzing the victimтАЩs mobile phone and scouring footage from nearby CCTV cameras to identify potential suspects. The motive behind the murder remains unclear at this stage, but the ongoing investigation is rigorous, with authorities determined to uncover the truth behind this heinous act that claimed the life of a grandmother dedicated solely to her granddaughter’s future. The incident has highlighted vulnerabilities in the safety of elderly women living alone in urban rentals, prompting heightened vigilance in the area.
