In a tragic incident, Ola Cabs CEO Bhavish Aggarwal's paternal grandmother and aunt were brutally murdered in Sher-e-Punjab Colony in Ludhiana on January 29, a leading English daily has reported. The double murder has led to a controversy after the cops detained the family's domestic help Puja, who has claimed that she was badly beaten up in custody.

According to the police, the murder was committed at around 1.30pm on January 29. A blank phone call was made to the police control room at 12.43pm, just about an hour before the murders were committed, from their domestic help Puja's mobile phone. The call lasted just for a couple of seconds, however, the police has not tried to track the call yet.

Puja, who first found the bodies, was detained by the police two days after the murder. However, she was allowed to go after protests from her family and the migrant community she belongs to. The protesters claimed that Puja was illegally detained and badly beaten up. They blocked the busy Ferozepur Road. They also asked other migrants who work as maids to stay away from work for the next week as a mark of protest.

The victims' family has expressed concern about letting the domestic help off. NK Aggarwal, Bhavish's father, said, "How could they let her off without finding out why and under what circumstances she made the call to the control room? It seems they are acting under pressure."

He met Ludhiana police commissioner Paramraj Umaranangal Umranangal and deputy commissioner of police Narindra Bhargav on Wednesday for a speedy investigation. The police said they are keeping an eye on Puja and her family.

The victims, Ola cabs' CEO Bhavish's grandmother Pushpawati Aggarwal, 84, and aunt Dr Sarita Aggarwal, 57, a gynaecologist, had multiple injuries on their head, throat, arms and legs. According to the autopsy report, it is suspected that a hammer may have been used, but it has not been recovered from the spot.

The police were informed about the murder at 2.15pm by Puja on the day of the incident. They initially suspected it to be a case of robbery and questioned other domestic help in the area. The suspicion then shifted to the two drivers who were working for the family and had quit after being employed with the family for sometime.

"It does not look like a case of robbery. It could be a case of old enmity but it would be too early to come to a conclusion," investigating official said.