BENGALURU: A 1971 India-Pakistan war veteran, Air Commodore Parvez Khokhar, 70, was found murdered in mysterious circumstances on Monday morning, in his villa in Huskur, off Hosur Road.

The villa, part of the Estate Club Smilee Greens gated community, is 21km southeast of Bengaluru.

The former project director of India's indigenous fighter aircraft Light Combat Aircraft was found lying on his cot in his bedroom, his hands and legs bound with cloth. There were strangulation marks on his neck. Police suspect he was smothered as well.

Investigators said only a postmortem report can throw light on the cause of his death.

READ ALSO: Fighter pilot with enviable career record

Initial investigation, though, revealed that no valuables were missing from the house. The room was ransacked, and the assailants also appeared to have tried to break a few cupboards. Police suspect the motive could be other than robbery.

The incident came to light around 7am when wife Pramila woke up and found her room locked from outside. She called her husband, but there was no response. Pramila then made a phone call to one of her neighbours.

The neighbour entered the house through the balcony at the rear of the house, and opened the door to Pramila's room. The duo went to the retired Air Commodore's room and found it latched from outside. They opened the door and found Khokhar lying dead in the room.

Recipient of the Vayu Sena medal for his action in the 1971 India-Pakistan war, the officer had been living with his wife in the villa for over six years. The couple's two daughters are married and live in New Delhi.

Born in Batala of Gurdaspur district in Punjab, Khokhar served the Indian Air Force for 35 years. He flew over 60 types of aircraft for over 5,000 hours, during his illustrious career. Among the posts he held were project director of India's ambitious Light Combat Aircraft, military attache in the Indian mission in Islamabad for four years, and he even flew with the Iraqi air force during the Iran-Iraq war.

Police said the murder appears to have taken place between Sunday midnight and 1am. Pramila told police Khokhar went to bed around 9.30pm Sunday, while she retired around 11pm. The couple slept in separate bedrooms on the ground floor, as usual.

Benglauru Rural SP Ramesh B said the attackers are suspected to have gained entry into the house through a door on the first floor. "The house has two bedrooms on the ground floor and two on the first floor. The door on the first floor was found broken," he said.

However, as the neighbour who came to Pramila's help in the morning entered the house through the rear balcony, police are investigating if there could be another entry point. "According to the wife, no valuables are missing from the house, which widens the scope of the case. This is a sensational case and we are investigating it thoroughly," Ramesh said.

The investigators are baffled by the ease with which the assailants gained entry, breaching the two-layer security: one at the main entrance and another at the entry of the lane leading to Khokhar's villa.