Incidentally, a man, now the prime suspect, had been spotted by a chance visitor to the house, the victim, Pushpa Agarwal's 20-year-old grandson.

He reached the house at 5:15 pm and rang the bell. After getting no response for some time, he rang again. The second time, a ``dark stranger'' reportedly came near the window with his face covered.

He said that Pushpa had gone out and that he was a relative staying with the family for the past 10 days. When the youth said he wanted to make a phonecall, he was rudely asked to go elsewhere.

The youth returned after making his call and saw the suspect walking briskly along a back-lane. When he found a lock on the door of the house he went back and alerted other relatives. They managed to get to the house by 6:30 pm. By then the victim's husband, D.C. Agarwal had also returned from work. When the door was opened they did not find anything amiss. After another search, they found the old woman sprawled on the floor of the toilet. She had been strangled with a kurta and was bleeding from the nose and mouth.

The ornaments on her body had been removed. Cash kept in the inner compartment of a cupboard had also been taken. There were signs of struggle as bangles were strewn on the floor near the cupboard. According to the Assistant Commissioner of Police, Shibesh Singh, who was present at the spot, there is evidence that it was a ``friendly'' entry. Some minor repairs had been done on the windowpane with nails and cloth, which showed that the suspect was familiar with the house.

Some of the neighbours who had been making arrangements for a birthday party just outside also claim to have seen a person going in. The police, meanwhile, are questioning the domestic help. Some of the vessels in the kitchen had been washed, which could mean that the maid had come in the evening. The victim's husband is a retired government officer and now runs a printing press in Pitampura village. The Agarwals also have a tenant staying with them. The couple have two sons and a daughter staying in Delhi.