The lure of buried treasure, real or imaginary, can dig out the worst in a man. Nursing attendant Aakash Patel decided to kill his employers, a 92-year-old retired senior scientist from the ministry of agriculture and his 85-year-old wife, because a particular tile on the floor at their south Delhi residence had stirred his fancy.

He believed a box filled with cash and jewellery was concealed underneath.

Patel, 24, arranged a floor-cutter, a sophisticated firearm and cartridges. He started working for the elderly couple three months ago after he came to Delhi in search of a well-paying job as his wife was pregnant and he needed money.

After sensing the vulnerability of the couple, Patel contacted his brother-in-law, who heads a criminal gang in Uttar Pradesh’s Etawah district.

The two talked about the requirement of a floor-cutter to dig out the “treasure box”. Patel’s brother-in-law asked him to leave the job as he feared police would suspect the attendant after the murder.

Patel planned to quit on May 31 after getting his salary but was nabbed by the police a day before he could go on leave.

Officers told Mail Today that they were keeping a tab on a group of criminals when they learnt about the conspiracy. Patel was nabbed from Khanpur area and a loaded pistol with four live cartridges was recovered from him.

The couple was residing alone in Munirka for the past few decades. Their son is settled in Australia, a daughter stays in Canada and another lives outside Delhi. The cops have not informed the couple about the conspiracy but have told one of the daughters to take care of her parents.

Local police has also been informed to keep a tab on their security.

Patel got a General Nursing Midwife Diploma in 2016 from Gwalior. After coming to Delhi, he started working with a company called Unified Homecare at Khanpur. The company deputed him as nursing attendant with the elderly couple.

“He was working here for the last three months. During this period, he observed that the couple was residing in the house alone and they were very old. The family is financially well off and he thought he could get a large amount of cash and jewellery from the house,” said PS Kushwah, DCP (Special Cell).