Maharashtra Minister Mangal Prabhat Lodha on Monday visited the house of 70-year-old victim in Tardeo who died on Sunday after three people carried out a robbery at the elderly couple's house.
"The incident of murdering an elderly woman by stealing from the house of an elderly couple living in Tardeo, Mumbai is highly reprehensible. The site of the incident was inspected and the police present here have been instructed to investigate the incident as soon as possible and take strict action against the criminals," Lodha wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
The minister also posted pictures of him interacting with the police and directing them to take swift action.
Robbery and subsequent death of elderly woman
Three individuals robbed the residence of an elderly couple in Tardeo, resulting in the unfortunate demise of the woman involved. The couple, Madan Mohan Agarwal (75) and Surekha Agarwal, are parents to two sons and a daughter who reside in Wadala. The Tardeo police have initiated an investigation into the incident and have filed an FIR.
According to the details provided by law enforcement, Madan Mohan Agarwal and Surekha Agarwal reside on the third floor of Yusuf Manzil on Yamabai Kashinath Road in Tardeo. Early on Sunday morning, around 5:30 am, Madan Mohan Agarwal stepped out of the house for his routine morning walk. At that moment, three individuals positioned outside their residence forcibly abducted Agarwal and took him back into the house. They proceeded to immobilise his limbs and mouth using sturdy adhesive tape.
Once Agarwal's limbs were bound, the trio entered the bedroom where his wife, Surekha Agarwal, was sleeping. In a similar manner, they restrained her by securing her hands and feet with adhesive tape and also taping her mouth.
According to a statement from a police officer, these individuals forcefully took the gold chain worn by the couple from around their necks. Subsequently, they made off with the valuable gold jewelry that was stored within the residence.
Following the departure of the criminals, Madan Agarwal remained on the ground for a period of time. Eventually, he managed to reach the house's entrance and began to scream despite having adhesive tape over his mouth. Upon hearing his cries, Sudhir Malde, who resides on the fourth floor, descended to the scene. He removed the tape from Agarwal's mouth and realized that a robbery had taken place.
Promptly, Malde alerted the Mumbai Police, leading the Tardeo Police to swiftly arrive at the location. Upon their arrival, they discovered Surekha Agarwal unconscious in the bedroom. She was immediately transported to Nair Hospital, where the attending doctor pronounced her deceased upon arrival.
