An elderly couple, Arun Jaiswal (65) and Urmila Jaiswal (55), were brutally murdered at their Madan Apartments residence in Charbagh area on Sunday morning. No valuables found missing.

The crime came to light when Bahadur, the domestic help of Jaiswal's brother Anil who lives two floors above, went to the flat around 10.30 am to inform them about some family function. He found the bodies and Anil informed the police.

Police said the couple's throats had been slit, and their bodies had multiple injuries inflicted with sharp weapons. The blood had congealed, indicating that they had been murdered during the night.

Jaiswal's body on a sofa in the drawing room, Urmila's body was found in the bathroom. It is possible that she ran inside to save herself and was killed there. As many as 14 of the 18 flats in the building are owned by relatives of the dead couple, but none came forward to lodge a complaint with the police, said BR Saroj, Inspector of Husainganj. The relatives also refused to talk to the media. "Their behaviour is strange," said Saroj.

According to the police, primary investigation suggests that two persons could be involved in the crime and they must be known to the couple.

"There was no sign of forced entry. In fact, they had consumed tea because there were four empty cups and leftover snacks in kitchen," said Raghuveer Lal, Superintendent of police (Law and Order).

Lal said the motive behind the murder is yet to be ascertained. The cash and valuables in two almirahs were safe.

"A cupboard was found open and its contents were found scattered. This seems to have been done to mislead the investigation," said Lal. A second cupboard, containing jewellery and bond papers worth crores, was found locked.

The couple did not work and lived on their savings. Jaiswal, along with Anil, ran a business of chikan wear in Hazratganj until last August, when they sold the shop for Rs 1.6 crore. The couple were members of Oudh Gymkhana Club in Kaiserbagh and were there till 8.30 pm, said Nidhi Sonker, ASP (Crime). They had an adopted daughter who is married and settled in Kolkata.