A 70-year-old woman, who lived alone, was found beaten to death in her home Sunday evening, police said.
The body of Suman Bala Bhatnagar, ex-official of the foreign ministry, was discovered by a tenant in her Preet Vihar area house in east Delhi at around 4 p.m.
"It seemed that Bhatnagar was smothered to death by her attacker following a struggle. She also received an injury on her head as it was banged against the house wall," a police officer told IANS.
Some cash, including jewellery, was missing from the house, the police said.
Police said her daughter who lives in Geeta Colony used to visit her daily and she even came Sunday, only to learn of her mother's murder.
Bhatnagar's son who resides outside Delhi has also been informed, police added.