Kitty Kumaramangalam, the late former Union minister P Rangarajan Kumaramangalam's wife, was found murdered at her home in southwest Delhi's Vasant Vihar, the police said on Wednesday.

She was 67 years old.

The police suspect attempted robbery to be the motive behind the killing and have apprehended a 24-year-old washerman of the area, identified as Raju, in connection with the case.

Based on preliminary investigation, it is suspected that the washerman had come to the house around 9 pm on Tuesday night, and when the house help opened the door, he overpowered her, dragged her to a room and restrained her, the police said.

Two other people entered the house in the meantime and smothered the victim with a pillow, the police said.

The maid later managed to untie herself and raised an alarm, they said, adding that there were open briefcases at the scene of the crime which suggest that the motive was attempted robbery.