Delhi rape-murder: Posh area, house smart-locked but accused knew where secret key was

IT was a usual daytime, a couple up left wing their extremely secured posh due south Delhi house for their routine morning workout, only to find their daughter dead on return. Investigation revealed she had been raped too. The house had a strong security system but a hidden key loophole helped accused enter and commit the crime on Wednesday morning.The victim, 22-year old IIT graduate and a civil services aspirant, was allegedly raped and strangled with a mobile charging cable on Wednesday morning by a 23-year old former house help who wanted to avenge his removal from duty two months ago.Investigation into the case led to more shocking details, including the alleged rape of another woman in Rajasthan's Alwar by the man hours before the Delhi crime.His entry to the house in Delhi was aided by his knowledge of a smart card that the victim's civil servant father and dentist mother used to hide while leaving for gym for the house helps to enter, to ensure their daughter could get an undisturbed sleep.Accused knew of hidden keyAccording to a senior police officer cited in an earlier HT report, the house had what the family described as a "strong" security system, with a digital lock on the main door of the third floor, a steel gate before the entry to the floor via the staircase, and another door outside the lift on the third floor.The steel door could only be opened using a smart card.Whenever the couple left for the gym, they would leave the door outside the lift open and take their own smart card for their return entry and hide one outside the house for the helps to enter, ensuring their daughter wasn't disturbed while she slept, an officer was quoted as saying.All domestic helps - including Meena - knew about the spot where the smart card was hidden."They would keep one smart key outside the main door for the helps, and they all knew where," the officer said, adding that Meena was aware of the couple's routine and the placement of the key. On Wednesday, Meena was seen in the locality at Kailash Hills at around 6.30 am on CCTV footage, police said, according to the earlier HT report.Meena was seen again in CCTV footage leaving the house around 7.15 am, they added. Joint CP Kumar said he changed his pants and shoes before leaving.According to an investigator, Meena was inside the house for about 40 minutes, during which he allegedly raped and strangled the victim to death, and fled with cash and valuables in a black backpack.Police said the crime may have stemmed from accused's grudge over being released from duty two months ago. Police are yet to ascertain this.According to an officer, the victim's 55-year-old father told them that the suspect was employed by the family for roughly 10 months before being dismissed two months ago over his habit of borrowing small sums from neighbours.