Ex army officer’s wife, mother killed in robbery attempt

Dehradun: The mother and wife of a retired army officer were allegedly murdered at their house in Haldwani town of Nainital district in a robbery attempt, police said today.

Retired army officer D L Shah’s wife Prerna (55) and his mother Shanti Shah (75) were found lying dead in their rooms on separate floors of his residence in Dehariya area of Haldwani yesterday, Additional SP Yashwant Chauhan said.

The ghastly double murder took place when Shah was out of town, he said.

Bodies of the victims bore injury marks, suggesting that they had been assaulted with sharp edged weapons and heavy objects, the official said.

The house lay in a state of disarray with the cupboards, almirahs and briefcases lying open, which indicated that the miscreants had barged in through a staircase window with the intention to rob, Chauhan added.