A retired deputy general manager of Engineers India Limited, Chary and his school teacher wife, had just come back from a shopping trip. After parking their Maruti in the garage, the couple was walking towards their flat when they were attacked in the dark bylane. The assailants next dragged the bodies to the park, covered them with clothes and hid them in the bushes.

According to the police, an empty jewellery pouch was found near the body. Shanti's chain and bangles were also missing. So the police first said that robbery was the possible motive. The post-mortem report revealed that both husband and wife had suffered serious head injuries inflicted by sharp and blunt objects. Chary was a well-built man, and there were some indications of a struggle.

Oddly enough, although the incident occurred late in the evening, colony residents initially said that they didn't see or hear anything. Kanchan Virmani, who lives in the same block, said: ``It is surprising actually. The same path was used by my husband who came home around 7.15 p.m. My brother followed at 8 p.m. and left at 9.15 p.m. We had another guest who walked in at 8.30 p.m. and left at 10.15 p.m. All of them used the same path, but they did not see or hear anything suspicious''.

If the three-person theory is to be believed, then someone was watching. The witness was passing by that area around 7.40 p.m. when he saw three men standing nearby. However, it was difficult to tell who they were as their faces were covered with mufflers. According to the police, two women also walked down the same route after this witness; but they didn't see anything.

On one end of the road is the Chary's garage, and on the other end is a area where a dhobi sets up his table during the day. The police suspect that the three men were probably waiting near the dhobi's work place for the couple to return.