A grief-stricken Jash Dedhia did not celebrate his 11th birthday on Thursday. The boy lost his mother, 39-year-old Beena, only two days ago. A pair of motorcycle-borne chain snatchers killed Beena and injured her husband, Jatin, when the couple was taking its regular morning walk near Lalbaug.

Jatin and Jash have moved to Beena’s parents' place in Dadar. “Jatin wanted some peace of mind and so he has shifted to his in-laws’ place for some days,” said Police Inspector R Kulkarni of Kala Chowky police station.

Relatives of the Dedhias gathered at their flat in Kala Chowky for some rituals. They, however, refused to speak to journalists. Beena was killed when the chain snatchers attacked her after she refused to part with her earrings, police said.

Investigations are still at a nascent stage as the police still do not have any leads in the case. The police have questioned more then 35 chain snatchers so far. The police have ruled out personal enmity and Jatin’s role behind the crime.

One thing that has baffled the investigators is that chain snatchers rarely attack their victims and are mainly concerned with snatching the ornaments. “There are chances that the chain snatchers must have been under the influence of some drugs for them to indulge in killing,” said Kulkarni.