By Sagaya Fernando| September 3, 2026
New Delhi, INDIA: A 23-year-old primary school teacher allegedly conspired with three associates to rob and kill her 60-year-old uncle at his home in Delhi’s Rohini after learning that he had recently sold a property for around ₹75 lakh, police said.
The victim, Rakesh Khanna, a stock market investor and cardiac patient, was found unconscious inside his ransacked house in Sector 3, Rohini, on Tuesday, September 1, evening. He was rushed to Jaipur Golden Hospital, where doctors declared him brought dead.
Police have arrested Khanna’s niece, Simran Taneja, 23, who is suspected to be the mastermind behind the crime, along with her alleged associates Chirag, 22, a gym trainer, and Paras, 19, a Class XII student. All three are residents of Burari.
A fourth accused, Himanshu, a gym owner, is absconding and police teams have launched raids to trace him.
According to police, a PCR call was received at around 8.14 pm on Tuesday reporting a theft at the house and an unconscious person inside. Police and forensic teams reached the spot and found the house ransacked.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Shashank Jaiswal said preliminary investigation indicated that three accused entered Khanna’s house at around 7.30 pm, while another associate allegedly kept watch outside.
Investigators suspect the robbery was planned after the accused learnt that Khanna had recently sold a property for around ₹75 lakh.
Police said Taneja allegedly hatched the conspiracy with Himanshu and roped in the other accused to carry out the robbery. The group allegedly conducted a recce of Khanna’s house on August 30 and had also attempted to execute the plan earlier but failed.
On the day of the crime, Taneja allegedly took Khanna’s wife and her own mother to a fair in Paschim Vihar, ensuring that her uncle was alone at home.
She later returned to the house and allegedly got Khanna to open the door. Her associates, who police said had concealed their identities using helmets, caps and masks, then entered the premises.
The accused allegedly overpowered Khanna and pressed his mouth during the robbery. He subsequently lost consciousness and later died. Police said there were no visible external injuries on his body during the preliminary examination, and the exact cause of death is being investigated.
After Khanna’s wife returned home at around 8.15 pm, she found the house ransacked and her husband lying unconscious on the floor.
The family subsequently reported that around ₹1.5 lakh in cash and gold jewellery were missing from the house.
Investigators examined CCTV footage from the locality and surrounding areas and traced the movements of the suspects. Earlier footage allegedly showed that the group had conducted reconnaissance of the house before the crime.
The investigation eventually led police to Taneja, who was identified as the alleged main conspirator. Chirag and Paras were subsequently apprehended.
Police have recovered ₹72,400 in cash and two gold rings allegedly stolen from Khanna’s house. Efforts are underway to recover the remaining valuables and arrest Himanshu.
Police said Paras had previously been involved in a criminal case registered at Mukherjee Nagar police station.
A case has been registered at South Rohini police station under Sections 103(1) (murder), 309(4) (robbery) and 3(5) (common intention) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Police are questioning the arrested accused to establish the precise sequence of events, the role played by each suspect and the circumstances that led to Khanna’s death.
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