Man, 4 daughters found dead in their rented accommodation in Delhi's Vasant Kunj

The decomposed bodies of a 46-year-old man and his four daughters, two of whom were differently-abled, have been found in their rented accommodation in southwest Delhi’s Vasant Kunj area, police said on Saturday.

The bodies, discovered on Friday afternoon, did not have injury marks but police found three packets of celphos poison, five glasses and a spoon containing a suspicious liquid in the house.

While police said the man’s two youngest daughters were differently-abled, neighbours claimed that all four were challenged. Police are verifying the claim, said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Southwest) Rohit Meena.

According to the locals, the daughters hardly came out of their room. The neighbours claimed that they last saw the man and his daughters on September 24.

A police official said the bodies were discovered when the neighbours complained of a foul smell emanating from the rented accommodation on the first floor of a residential complex in Rangpuri village.

DCP Meena said the building’s owner Nitin Chauhan was informed by the caretaker that a foul smell was coming from flat C-4 following which he knocked on the door but got no answer.

With the help of a fire brigade team, police broke open the door and found a man lying dead in one room while the bodies of four women were found in the other room, the officer said.

The deceased were identified as Heeralal Sharma, who worked as a carpenter in the Indian Spinal Injury Centre in Vasant Kunj for the past 28 years, and his four daughters — Neetu (26), Nikki (24), Neeru (23) and Nidhi (20).

The DCP said enquiry with neighbours and close relatives revealed that Heeralal’s wife died of cancer about a year ago. He earned about Rs 25000 each month but has not attended his duty since January 2024, the officer said.

Meanwhile, Heeralal’s brother Mohan Sharma and sister-in-law Gudiya Sharma, reached the house after learning about the incident.

They said Heeralal had stopped being interested in family affairs after his wife’s death and was mostly preoccupied with his daughters’ treatment.

An inquest proceedings under section 194 of BNSS have been initiated and a medical board has been constituted for post-mortem, police said.