Date:25/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/25/stories/2006092514940100.htm

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Belgian Embassy staff murdered

Staff Reporter

Driver says he killed her because she had threatened to sack him: Police

CRIME SPOT: A policeman stands outside the residence of Belgian Embassy employee Isabelle Dessoy who was murdered in New Delhi on Sunday.

NEW DELHI: A 47-year-old woman working with the Belgium Embassy here was brutally stabbed to death, allegedly by her driver, at her residence in the posh Vasant Vihar area of South-West Delhi on Saturday. The driver was arrested after he gave himself up to the police on Sunday evening.

Isabelle Dessoy, who worked on contract as secretary in the Belgium Embassy, had been living with her 14-year-old son Donatien in the Vasant Vihar bungalow since December last. Around 9 p.m. on Saturday, she called up her son on his mobile phone informing him that she had been stabbed.

Donatien, who had gone out with his friends, rushed back home and found his mother lying unconscious in a pool of blood. She had sustained multiple stab injuries all over the body.

He immediately called up the police, following which Ms. Dessoy was rushed to Safdarjung Hospital where she was declared dead on arrival.

Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-West Delhi) Ravinder Yadav said investigations pointed to the involvement of Ms. Dessoy's driver Vijay Chaudhry, a resident of Kotla Mubarakpur in South Delhi.

Wanted to surrender

Even as a hunt was launched for Vijay, he went to a city court to surrender before a duty metropolitan magistrate. However, he was advised to give himself up at the R.K. Puram police station.

During interrogation, Vijay allegedly confessed to having murdered Ms. Dessoy as she had recently threatened to sack him. This resulted in frequent altercations between the two and Vijay would demand monetary compensation if he was removed from the job.

On Saturday afternoon, Vijay drove Ms. Dessoy to a hotel for a swim. There an altercation broke out between them over some issue, after which Vijay drove her back home. In the evening, Ms. Dessoy asked Vijay to drop her to a dinner meeting.

However, on the way, yet another altercation broke out between the two and Ms. Dessoy asked Vijay to stop the Santro car. She got off the car and took an auto-rickshaw back home.

Vijay allegedly told the police that he followed the auto-rickshaw and entered the house by breaking the glass-door. He then picked up a kitchen knife and attacked Ms. Dessoy. She offered resistance, inflicting minor injuries on Vijay's hands. However, he stabbed her several times and then fled from the scene in the Santro car.

Weapon of offence seized

At Vijay's instance, the police have recovered the weapon of offence and seized the clothes he was wearing at the time of murder. The police have also recovered the car.

Ms. Dessoy's body was handed over to the Belgium Embassy officials after post-mortem and a case of murder has been registered at Vasant Vihar police station. Earlier in the day, a Belgium Embassy spokesman said Ms. Dessoy did not enjoy diplomatic status as she had been working on contract.