A 29-year-old woman was allegedly knifed to death by her colleague and spurned partner inside the office of a private company in Mohali, the horror unfolding in full view of others who tried to stop the attack but could not, police said on Friday.
The brutal assault took place on Thursday evening. The accused, 34-year-old Harjinder Mann, tried to kill himself with the same knife after repeatedly stabbing Dimple. Both were rushed to hospital, where Dimple, who had nearly 30 stab wounds, was declared brought dead, a police official said.
Mann, whose parents live in the US, is recovering from his injuries in hospital and has been booked for murder. Both Mann and Dimple are residents of Patiala, worked at the same office and lived in separate paying guest accommodations in Mohali on the outskirts of Chandigarh.
They had been working together at SRP Logistics, a process-oriented freight brokerage and business support company near Mohali's Bestech Mall, for nearly three years, police said.
Purported CCTV footage from the premises shows in graphic detail what happened -- the accused can be seen approaching Dimple sitting at a computer table, empty chairs to her left and right, from behind and attacking her. An employee seated at a distance appears unaware of the man entering the room.
Dimple then attempts to flee, but the man, believed to be Mann, follows her and drags her by the hair. As colleagues rush to help her, he allegedly brandishes the knife at them and continues the assault.
At the time of the incident, there was a shift change and only two to three people were present on the floor.
According to preliminary investigation, Dimple and Mann were "good friends" but had parted ways a few months ago, the police said. He tried to reconnect with her but she rejected his attempts at reconciliation and he couldn't handle it, a police official said.
"They were very good friends earlier but later on there was some rift between them," said Mohali Phase 11 SHO Aman Baidwan.
According to him, investigations have also revealed that Mann was in depression after another woman with whom he was in a relationship had left him. It was then that he came in contact with Dimple.
Back home in Patiala, Dimple's family recalled the happy young woman she was. Dimple would come home over the weekend and they never suspected that such a thing could ever happen, a grieving relative told reporters.
The body was handed over to the family after a postmortem.
Police is recording statements from family members. Mann's statement will be recorded after doctors declare him fit to do so, police said.