The police said her clothes were in disarray, which leads them to suspect the involvement of a “love angle”. Deputy Commissioner of Police (South) H G S Dhaliwal, however, said there were no injuries indicating any struggle or sexual assault.

The police said Saxena was alone at the PG when the incident occurred — her roommate found the body on her return home at 4.45 pm. The room, police officials said, was not locked: the roommate walked straight in, before running out screaming in fright. A bystander then called the police.

The area houses many students and working women, who stay primarily as paying guests.

“The entry into the room was friendly and we suspect someone who knew the victim murdered her,” DCP Dhaliwal said. “A case of murder has been registered as of now; the matter is being probed further.”

He said the police have not detained or arrested anyone till now.

A senior officer said, “We have recovered some letters from her room and are scanning them. We are also looking at all recent phone calls and text messages sent out and received on her phone.”

According to the police, Saxena worked at a call centre in Gurgaon and had been staying as a paying guest at E-69/1, Gautam Nagar, for the past six months. The PG accommodation is on the first floor, and three girls each stay in the two rooms.

Newsline tried to contact the owner — identified only as one “Mrs Sharma” — but found her mobile phone switched off.

One of Saxena’s roommates, who did not want to be named, returned home at 8.45 pm and was “shocked numb” to find the crowd of onlookers, police and media personnel around the house. When told that Saxena had been murdered, she said, amid sobs, “I met and spoke to her yesterday. I stay in the room next to hers but we shared the same PG in this area before we moved in here.

“I didn’t know her very well, though.”

Saxena’s roommate Lily said she kept to herself most of the time. “She was very shy but I don’t know much about her personal life,” Lily said.

Police officials said Saxena came from Saharanpur, Uttar Pradesh. Her father Vijay Saxena is a bank employee there and has been informed. The body has been transferred to AIIMS mortuary and a postmortem would be conducted after her family members arrive.