In a shocking Malviya Nagar incident, police found two sisters dead and their mother unconscious. Authorities suspect the mother, Sunita, killed her daughters, Radhika and Gunisha, before attempting suicide. Crushed naphthalene balls and a crepe bandage were recovered from the scene. Investigations into potential depression and domestic discord are ongoing.

NEW DELHI: Crushed naphthalene balls and a strip of crepe bandage were what police found in the Malviya Nagar flat where two sisters were found dead and their mother unconscious on Thursday. Police suspect the 50-year-old woman, Sunita, killed her daughters Radhika (33) and Gunisha (28) and then tried to die by suicide. Police suspect that Gunisha was strangled with the crepe bandage. The elder daughter, Radhika, was smothered with a pillow. Cops said they found signs of struggle that indicated smothering. “The elder daughter was a special child. She used to assist a teacher working with specially-abled children, but quit working a few years ago. The younger daughter had completed a law course,” a source said. Sources added that the mixture of naphthalene balls may have been used to sedate one of the daughters, and Sunita may have consumed it as well. “These are our suspicions. We are awaiting the post-mortem reports of the sisters and medical reports of the woman, who was receiving treatment,” the source added. Police also found cut marks on the hands of one of the daughters. When the cops entered the house through a ventilation window after breaking the glass pane, they found Sunita lying on the floor and Gunisha on a bed in a room. Sunita’s husband had left for the garment shop that he runs in south Delhi. Several family members live in the same building where Sunita and her family occupied the ground floor. A senior police officer said they suspect Sunita first killed her daughters, then attempted suicide. “We learned that the family was not social and may have been dealing with some form of depression. All angles are being investigated, including possible domestic discord,” the officer said.

Neighbours in Malviya Nagar’s F Block seemed shocked. They described the mother and daughters as well-behaved and good natured, though they mostly kept to themselves. The family had lived in the area for the last 50 years. On Friday, senior officers visited the spot and spoke to family members for over an hour. Lalit, a neighbour, said Sunita was a caring mother and accompanied her daughters whenever they went out. “They mostly kept to themselves and rarely came out of their home,” he added. The family lived in a four-storey building. Sunita’s mother-in-law lived on the second floor, and the remaining two floors were occupied by her husband’s brother and his family. Ranjana, who works in homes in the area, said the last time she spoke to Sunita, she mentioned that she wanted a house help. “She was polite.” Neighbour Ramesh Thakur (75) said that Sunita’s husband returned home around 5 pm and kept knocking on the door. No one opened it. He also went to the rear of the house, but was not successful in entering the flat. “He tried to contact key makers but came to know that the door cannot be opened by key makers. Other neighbours also came, and after half an hour, the police was contacted,” he said.