NEW DELHI: The calm of a posh Mount Kailash neighbourhood in South Delhi was shattered on Thursday morning when cries of a woman in distress echoed from a building terrace. Moments later, residents saw 45-year-old domestic help Meena lying in a pool of blood — allegedly killed inside the home where she had worked for over 15 years.When police reached the spot after a resident from an opposite tower spotted a woman lying on the terrace, they found Meena in a pool of blood. Police say Meena was repeatedly attacked with a cricket bat and later stabbed with a knife in the final moments of the assault.The accused, dermatologist Dr Manish Gupta, 50, was found sitting on the stairs inside the building when police arrived. A blood-stained bat and kitchen knife were recovered from the scene. Police said Gupta told them, “Mujhe faansi dedo (hang me).”Police suspect a bitter disagreement between accused dermatologist Dr Manish Gupta and his wife over removing Meena from the household may have preceded the murder.According to police, Manish Gupta wanted Meena to stop working at the house, but his wife opposed the move, saying she had been a trusted and caring presence for the family for years. Meena had also supported the family during a difficult period when Gupta’s mother was battling cancer before her death around one-and-a-half years ago.Dr Manish Gupta had been undergoing treatment for depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder for nearly a decade. Police are also probing whether he had stopped taking his medication.“He was struggling mentally and having violent thoughts. He was contemplating if he should kill his wife, son or himself,” a senior police officer said. “He and his wife had been quarrelling about firing Meena as he did not want her to work there. However, she insisted that Meena continue as she had been very helpful and caring about the family.”Police said that on Thursday morning, Meena arrived at the residence around 10.30am for her routine work. After washing clothes, she went to the terrace to hang the laundry, where she was allegedly attacked.Police claim Gupta repeatedly struck her on the face and head with his son’s cricket bat before slitting her throat with a kitchen knife. “The slit mark on Meena’s neck resembles a medical incision,” the senior police officer said.Gupta’s 19-year-old son was present at home when the incident took place. Police said Gupta later came downstairs and informed him that he had attacked the house-help. His wife was away at the time.Meena’s son Robin said his mother never complained about her employer. “I left for work as usual around 6.30am. Later, a relative called and said mother had died. She never complained about ‘doctor sir’ and there were never any issues between them. Why would someone do this?” he told TOI.The murder triggered emotional scenes outside the Mount Kailash residence as relatives gathered at the spot. Family members allegedly tried to stop police vehicles from taking Gupta away, forcing officers to intervene and calm the situation.Meena’s sister Shaptami Biswas described her as the gentlest member of the family. “Meena was the most soft-spoken among all of us. We will not return to work until we are given answers about what happened,” she said.Police are now investigating the sequence of events leading to the killing, including the alleged dispute over Meena’s removal from the household, Gupta’s mental health condition and whether he had discontinued medication before the incident.(With agency inputs)
