Husband, 2 butchers arrested from Howrah

Kolkata: Police arrested the husband of the woman whose mutilated body parts were recovered by the Howrah Police on July 18.

The woman has been identified as Sony Rajak, a resident of Shibpur. Her husband, Upendra Rajak was arrested on early Saturday morning. Following his statement, two hired butchers, Dilwar Khan and Shakil Khan, were also arrested from Bhadreshwar. Upendra told the police that he had killed his wife for allegedly having an extra-marital relationship.

Deciphering the CCTV footage has helped the police to solve one of the gruesome murders in recent times within 48 hours after the mutilated body parts were recovered on July 18.

The police found the severed head of an unidentified woman along with several body parts at Jetia Ghat in Howrah on the morning of July 18. The photograph of the head and the body parts were sent to all the police stations in Howrah.

On July 18 evening, Upendra filed a missing complaint of his wife with the Shibpur police station. He alleged that his wife might have fled with her boyfriend.

The police began investigating and while deciphering the CCTV footage, they found two men taking out two huge bags from a taxi at Ballykhal. Then they took a cycle rickshaw and drove towards Jetia Ghat.

The bags which the police had seized from Jetia Ghat served as the main clue in solving the case. The colour of the bag matched with the CCTV footage. They picked up Upendra from his residence and showed him the bags. Though he denied initially, he finally broke down during the interrogation.

Upendra had appointed two butchers — Dilwar and Shakil. Dilwar bought sedatives from a shop in Kolkata and Upendra mixed it with food and served it to her on the night of July 17. When she fell asleep, she was strangulated to death. Her two children were taken to another room and the door was locked from outside.

The butchers then cut her up into pieces and put the parts in two boxes. They hired a taxi and went to Ballykhal.

From Ballykhal they took a cycle rickshaw and reached Jetia Ghat. They took out the body parts and threw them into the Hooghly. It was around 3.30 am and they left the Ghat quietly without being noticed.

Upendra told the police that he had paid Rs 30,000 to the Khans. Divers are looking for the severed limbs which are yet to be traced.