Sources said the trio killed her brutally with a sharp-edged weapon and stabbed her around 10 times. Sources said the trio killed her brutally with a sharp-edged weapon and stabbed her around 10 times.

A 53-year-old fashion designer and her domestic help were stabbed to death allegedly by her tailor and his two accomplices at her bungalow in south Delhi’s Vasant Kunj Enclave, Wednesday night. In the early hours of Thursday, the three accused surrendered at the Vasant Kunj (south) police station.

DCP (southwest) Devendra Arya told The Indian Express that a team from the local police station went to the spot along with the accused and found the bodies of Mala Lakhani and Bahadur Singh (50) inside bungalow A-82. Read this story in Malayalam.

Police said Mala ran a boutique, Tulsi Creations, in Green Park. She lived in the house along with Singh, who doubled up as a security guard.

Police said the prime accused, Rahul Anwar (25), had been working as a tailor for Mala for the last three years. “He would take money for each item of clothing, but was unhappy with the pay and Mala’s behaviour. So he hatched a plan to kill her, and roped in two friends — Rehmat and Salim, both in early 20s. He told them that they can steal valuables and cash from her house,” said DCP Arya.

Fashion designer found dead in Vasant Kunj. (Express photo) Fashion designer found dead in Vasant Kunj. (Express photo)

Police said Rehmat and Salim are part-time tailors, and would sometimes help Anwar with stitching.

“Mala had set up the workshop on the ground floor of her bungalow, and the accused would sometimes work late into the night. On Wednesday, at 11.30 pm, Anwar called in Rehmat and Salim. He then asked Mala to come down to see his work. As she entered the room, the trio stabbed her multiple times. One of them also slit her neck,” said a senior police officer.

When Mala did not come out for a while, police said Singh went to check and they attacked him as well. The accused then wiped the bloodstains and dragged the bodies to the bathroom, added police.

“When they decided to ransack the house, they did not find much. So they took the jewellery Mala was wearing and fled the house in her Hyundai Verna,” said the officer.

The investigation is underway. (Express photo) The investigation is underway. (Express photo)

The accused discarded their bloodstained clothes in Rangpuri Pahari. “However, they got scared and decided to surrender,” the officer said, adding that they have recovered the stolen articles from them.

Police added that Mala used to live in Safdurjung Enclave earlier. Arun Sehgal, landlord of the building where the boutique is located, said, “Bahadur would come in the morning to open the shop, while Mala came in the afternoon… She took orders at the boutique and got the clothes stitched at a rented room in Yusuf Sarai. Later, when she shifted to Vasant Kunj Enclave, she shifted her workshop there as well.”

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