Bodies of woman, daughter found floating in Mirik lake
Darjeeling: Bodies of a woman and her daughter were found floating in the Mirik lake on Thursday morning. The duo were residents of Kalimpong.
Morning walkers of this lake town saw the two bodies in the lake on Monday morning and informed the police. The bodies were seen floating near the boat house. The police fished out the bodies from the lake.
The two women were identified as Sushala Gurung (63) and her daughter Sushma Gurung (32). Their wrists were tied together with a dupatta.
The daughter had a bag in which contained their EPIC cards and a Transfer Certificate of the Girl's High School in Kalimpong where Sushma had done her schooling from.
"Prima facie it looks like a case of suicide. The bodies were bloated hence they could have committed suicide on Wednesday night. We have started an investigation. We are trying to ascertain if it is a case of suicide or murder. The bodies are being sent to the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for post mortem," stated Sudip Pradhan, Officer in Charge, Mirik Police station.
Incidentally, Sushala Gurung is originally from Mirik. She had been married to Madhukar Gurung of Kalimpong. Madhukar was in the army and had died.
Sushala's daughter Sushma had completed her M.Sc and was working in a private firm in Sikkim. Sushala's relatives live in Mirik. However, they claimed that the mother daughter had not met any of their relatives in Mirik. The relatives were not aware of their visit to Mirik.
In another incident, Junita Rai Chettri was sent to judicial custody by the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court on Thursday. Chettri allegedly stabbed her husband Rupon Chettri during a scuffle.
Thirty-two-year-old Rupon Chettri used to live in Dapaipani Bustee near Darjeeling town with his wife Junita (36) Rupon was a habitual drunkard and used to have regular scuffles with his wife.
On Tuesday night his wife had a heated exchange of words with her brother-in-law Madan Chettri, who lives in the neighborhood. Later, at night Rupon in an inebriated state had a scuffle with his wife telling her not to behave badly with his brother.
In a fit of rage he throttled her and pushed her on the kitchen wall. Junita caught hold of a kitchen knife and stabbed Rupon in "self defence."
Not realising the gravity of the situation she had helped him to bed and even tried to help him. Later, when she realised that he had died, she left the house and hid in the jungles.
"On Wednesday afternoon she surrendered at the Jorebungalow police station. The brother of the deceased on Wednesday morning visited the house to find Rupon dead and Junita missing. He then informed the police. We recovered the body and later arrested Junita," stated TS Nath, Inspector in charge, Darjeeling police station.
