Woman, 48, Stabbed To Death Inside Temple In Delhi, 1 Arrested: Cops

A 48-year-old woman was stabbed to death inside a temple in east Delhi's Mansarovar Park area on Sunday, police said, adding that a woman was arrested later in the day and the weapon of offence recovered.

The incident occurred around noon inside a temple located in the DDA flats complex when the victim was offering prayers, they said.

A PCR call was received at around 12 pm reporting the stabbing, police said.

The victim, identified as Kusum Sharma, a resident of Mansarovar Park, sustained multiple stab injuries to the head and upper body. She was rushed to the Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, where doctors declared her brought dead.

"We have detained the main accused, a woman identified as Anchal Saxena. The weapon of offence has also been recovered," DCP (Shahdara) Prashant Gautam said in a statement.

He said the caller informed the police that two people had stabbed a woman priest in the head.

Preliminary investigation suggests that two people, including the detained woman, repeatedly attacked Sharma with a knife, causing fatal injuries, the officer said.

"Prima facie, it appears to be an old enmity, but further investigation into the matter is underway. Multiple teams have been formed to investigate the case," the DCP said.

Police said several teams from the district and crime units were formed to apprehend the accused and one of them was detained later in the day.

Officers are scanning CCTV footage from the DDA flats, nearby streets, parks and entry-exit points to trace the movement of the attackers before and after the crime.

Footage from multiple locations in and around the area is being examined, and technical surveillance and local intelligence are being used to establish the identity of the other assailant, the officer said, adding that forensic teams have inspected the spot.

While the exact motive behind the murder is yet to be established, initial inquiry points to a possible case of personal enmity or a targeted attack, police said.

"All angles are being thoroughly investigated, including personal disputes. At this stage, nothing is being ruled out," the officer said.

Family members, neighbours and local residents have been questioned to piece together the sequence of events.

A case of murder has been registered at the Mansarovar Park police station, and further legal proceedings are underway.        

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