According to the Worli police, the duo entered the building separately, one posing as a flowers deliveryman and the others as a courier boy. When questioned by a security guard, they claimed to have brought a bouquet and a courier for Jagdish Khanna, the husband of the victim and a chartered accountant at Tardeo.

“After entering the building, they went to the Khannas’ flat and rang the bell. When the domestic help, Deepak Barik (17), opened the door, the duo barged in and slammed his head against the wall, rendering him unconscious,” said Senior Police Inspector Bharat Worlikar of the Worli police station.

When Kiran came out on hearing the scuffle, one of the assailants grabbed her hair and slammed her head against the wall as well before locking her up in the bathroom, according to Worlikar. The duo then decamped with valuables, he said.

“So far, we have not been able to ascertain from the victim’s husband the amount of property stolen from the house. But according to our estimates, the robbed jewellery must be worth Rs 2 lakh,” said Worlikar.

Kiran, who was locked in the bathroom, managed to attract the attention of neighbours, who informed her husband and the police.

“The victim was admitted to Breach Candy Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries last midnight. She had suffered injuries on the head. Besides, she was old and couldn’t bear the shock and trauma of the incident,” said Worlikar.

Worlikar said, “Based on the description given by the domestic help and the security guard who had spoken to the two assailants, we have prepared sketches of the two which we hope will help us nab them. In the meantime, we have called a former domestic help who had worked for the Khannas some five to six months ago and had quit to work as a driver somewhere else. During his stay at the Khannas home, there had been a theft of Rs 15,000 but no case was registered.”