HYDERABAD: Robbers struck terror before dawn by murdering a senior citizen in the bedroom of his duplex home in Rajendranagar on Friday and decamped with Rs 50 lakh in cash and 40-tola gold worth Rs 10 lakh. Four special police teams have launched a manhunt to nab the killers.The victim, 68-year-old Rajendra Prasad Agarwal, was staying in the duplex at Srimalle Colony with 64-year-old wife Taramani . The robbers tore apart the oxygen mask and smothered him by pressing his face on the pillow. Asthma-hit Agarwal was dependent on oxygen cylinders to breathe at night.Around 1.45am, at least three robbers barged into the house and wreaked mayhem before fleeing in the cover of darkness. Rajendra’s wife, Taramani said the criminals blindfolded her and gagged her with a duct tape. Later, they tied her limbs with shoe laces and cables of cell phone chargers. “Taramani was in shock when police entered the house and she could not clearly describe what happened. She was not clear whether robbers spoke in Hindi or Telugu. She was also unsure if she saw two offenders or three,” Shamshabad Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), PV Padmaja, said.The marauders spent close to one hour and it was only after they left the house, Taramani mustered courage to untie herself and found her husband lying motionless next to the bed. His limbs were also tied with shoe laces. On seeing her husband’s condition, Taramani rushed out and brought a doctor home from the neighbourhood. As there was no pulse, the doctor along with Taramani and others rushed Agarwal to a nearby hospital where he was declared brought dead, Rajendranagar Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), P Ashok, said.“The Clues team have collected fingerprints from the crime scene. We have formed four special teams to crack the case. We will solve the case soon,” Rajendranagar inspector G Suresh told TOI.A murder and robbery case has been registered under Section 302 and 394 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and investigation has been launched. The body of Agarwal was shifted to a hospital and after autopsy, the body was handed over to family members in the evening. Agarwal is survived by Taramani and four children, including two sons.

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