UP: Elderly man found dead at Mahoba home with frail daughter lying nearby; kin blame househelps

Banda (UP), Dec 30 (PTI) A 70-year-old man was found dead under suspicious circumstances at his residence in Mahoba district, while his mentally challenged daughter was found in an extremely frail condition near the body, police said on Tuesday.

Officials said an investigation has been launched after relatives alleged years of confinement and ill-treatment of the man and his daughter by a couple engaged as their domestic help.

The deceased, identified as Om Prakash Singh Rathore, a retired railway employee, lived in Hind Tyre Gali locality of Mahoba town. His wife Renuka had died in 2016, and the couple's 27-year-old daughter Rashmi is mentally challenged, police said.

The body was found on Monday, Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Vandana Singh said, adding that a postmortem examination has been conducted.

"As per the postmortem report, the cause of death has been found to be chronic lung disease," she said.

Rathore's daughter, who was present in the same room, was found in a very weak and distressed condition, she said.

The ASP said the family members have levelled serious allegations of mistreatment against the househelp couple who had been living in the house.

According to preliminary findings, the couple had been working as domestic help for Rathore and his daughter for the past eight to nine years and was responsible for their day-to-day care.

During this period, Rathore had apparently transferred the registered electricity connection of the house to the name of the housekeeper's wife, police said.

The officer also noted that no prior complaint had been made by the family regarding alleged confinement or ill-treatment, nor had any earlier efforts been made by them for Rathore and his daughter's care.

Meanwhile, Rathore's younger brother Amar Singh told reporters that when family members reached the house after learning about his death, they found Rashmi lying near her father's body in a pitiable condition.

He alleged that the househelps had effectively taken control of the house and confined Rathore and his daughter to a room on the ground floor.

"For the past three years, they were not allowed to meet anyone. Whenever we tried to visit, the househelps would send us back on some pretext," he claimed.

Police said all allegations are being examined and further legal action will be taken based on the findings of the investigation. PTI COR KIS ARB ARB ARB