Indian police have launched a murder investigation into the death of a British woman who was initially suspected to have died from a fall in her home two months ago.
Pauline Crowther Ann, 85, was found dead at her residence in Delhi’s affluent Jantar Mantar area on 30 July. The pensioner was visiting her son and daughter-in-law.
She was believed to have died from a fall but an autopsy later indicated strangulation as the cause of death.
The Delhi police said they had filed a murder case after getting the autopsy report.
In the meantime, they were seeking a second opinion on the report from a medical board.
Ann was discovered unconscious by her housemaid and she alerted the family. Police arriving at the scene found bloodstains and believed it was an accidental death as the family did not suspect any foul play, according to The Times of India.
Ann travelled frequently between New Delhi and the UK following the death of her husband, an Indian national.
At the time of her death, she was reportedly visiting her son Daljit Sean Singh, who worked as an actor and a model in Delhi, and daughter-in-law.
“She had been in Delhi for one-two months. On the day of the incident, she was found unconscious in her room. We received a phone call from her relatives,” a police officer said.
Police said they had taken statements from Mr Singh and his wife and were reviewing CCTV footage.
Statements of two drivers employed by the family and a maid hired for Ann had been recorded as well.
Another house help, who was currently visiting family in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh state, was yet to be questioned.
Police were also trying to retrieve Ann’s mobile phone, which was taken by her daughter to the US as a keepsake before the murder case was registered.
A spokesperson for the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office told The Independent: “We are supporting the family of a British national who has died in India and are in contact with the local authorities.”
