72-year-old woman found injured under railway overbridge in Delhi; dies during treatment

A 72-year-old woman, who was found lying injured under a railway bridge in east Delhi's Mandawali on Tuesday, succumbed to the injuries during treatment at a city hospital, police said.

The deceased, Sudha Gupta, lived in the Laxmi Nagar area, they added.

Doctors told the police that the deceased had injuries on her head and shoulder, which seemed to have been caused in a road accident, but the investigators noticed multiple piercing marks on her body, which were probably caused by a sharp object, a senior police officer said.

Due to the multiple external injuries, the Delhi Police has lodged a murder case and is trying to find out what caused those injuries.

The police received a call in the afternoon, with the caller informing that a woman was stabbed by two people. On reaching the spot, the police found that the woman was already taken to the Metro Hospital in Preet Vihar, the officer said.

The woman was subsequently referred to the Max Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment, the officer added.

''Upon examination of the body, police noticed multiple piercing marks on the left shoulder, face, on one side of the chest, waist and back. Police immediately contacted the Max Hospital doctors who opined that the piercing marks were caused by a sharp object,'' Deputy Commissioner of Police (East) Amrutha Guguloth said.

A case under section 302 (punishment for murder) of the Indian Penal Code has been registered and further enquiry is in process, she said.

A local inquiry suggested that the woman was travelling on a two-wheeler from Mandawali towards Preet Vihar when the incident took place, the police said.

CCTV footage obtained from in and around the area is being analysed to ascertain if it was an accident or a knife attack, they said, adding that it will also help identify the suspects, if any, and establish the sequence of events.

According to the police, Gupta was a housewife and lived alone at her residence in Guru Nanak Pura, Laxmi Nagar. Her husband died in 2011.

She is survived by three sons and two daughters. Two of her sons are doctors and the other is a property dealer. The daughters are married.

The family of the deceased had multiple properties and she used to look after them.