Newly-wed housewife found dead; husband, in-laws held

Mystery shrouds the death of a newly-wed housewife whose body was found hanging from the ceiling at her in-laws house in Baguiati.

Family members of the victim, Kajol Das lodged a complaint at the Baguiati police station alleging that their daughter was murdered as they had failed to pay a huge amount of dowry. Police on the basis of the complaint arrested victim’s husband, Linton Das and her in-laws Narayan Chandra Das and Krishna Das from their house at Baguiati on Monday night.

Kajol, originally a resident of Baranagar got married to Linton Das, a resident of Ashwini Nagar area of Baguiati on December 13. It has been alleged that the woman had been subjected to both mental and physical torture at her in-laws house at Baguiati for one week since her marriage. The victim’s family members alleged that Kajol was strangulated to death.

The victim’s parents told the police that Linton, an engineer by profession along with his parents started torturing Kajol as they failed to pay Rs 10 lakh and a car that the accused demanded from them immediately after their marriage. As the victim’s father asked for some time from the accused to arrange the huge amount of money, Linton used to pressurise Kajol for the amount and the car.

The father of the deceased housewife told the police that he had given Linton Rs one lakh cash and jewellery worth around Rs 15 lakh at the time of the marriage. But ever since their marriage was completed, the accused family members started mounting pressure on the victim for a car and Rs 10 lakh cash. In last few days, the woman used to call up her father and told him how she had been subjected to torture. As a result of this incident, her family members decided that they would discuss the matter in detail when daughter would come to her parental house on Tuesday. But on Monday night, the news of her death had arrived at her parental house in Baranagar.

The victim’s father also alleged that Linton did not allow Kajol to talk to her parents and hence took her mobile phone. As a result of this, the parents had to call up the accused husband if they wanted to talk with their daughter. The victim’s mother alleged that Kajol told her on phone that it would be difficult for her to stay at her in-laws house.

The victim’s elder brother had talked to the victim on 6 pm on Monday for the last time. Later, her body was recovered from her room. Police said that body of the victim was found hanging from the ceiling. An injury mark was also found on the face of the accused husband leading the police to believe that a scuffle might have broken out between the couple. Even the room was found in ransacked condition. Police are interrogating the accused in this connection and started a detailed probe in this regard. All the three accused were remanded in 4 day police custody after being produced before the Barasat District Court on Tuesday.