KOLKATA: As the investigation into the murder of a 25-year-old software engineer in Kolkata's Garia area progresses, fresh details have emerged regarding the circumstances leading up to the incident, with police suspecting a possible relationship dispute as the motive behind the crime.
The deceased, Sarthak Sarkar, a resident of Barasat in North 24 Parganas district, was employed with a private IT company in Salt Lake's Sector V. He was reportedly in a relationship with 22-year-old Sanchalika Basu, a student at a private engineering college. The couple had been staying together at a rented accommodation in Fartabad, Garia, along with Sanchalika's mother, Moumita Basu.
Police suspect that recurring disagreements in their relationship may have contributed to the confrontation. One of the possible triggers under investigation was Sanchalika's alleged possessiveness over Sarthak's Facebook activities, particularly his interactions with other women, including following their profiles and commenting on their photographs. The couple had reportedly been experiencing relationship-related problems over the past few months.
During the investigation, police also suspected that a pair of scissors could have been used in the crime. However, the exact weapon and the sequence of events leading to Sarthak's death are yet to be conclusively established.
The incident came to light around 1:30 am when a local resident, identified as Sayan Pal, reportedly heard cries for help and rushed to the spot. He found Sarthak lying in a pool of blood and also noticed scratch marks on Sanchalika's neck.
Another development that emerged during the interrogation was the revelation that Sanchalika may not be Moumita's biological daughter. Police are reportedly verifying the claim as part of the ongoing investigation.
According to local residents, the couple generally maintained a distance from their neighbours and rarely interacted with others in the locality.
On November 10 (Tuesday), police arrested Sanchalika and her mother, Moumita, in connection with the murder. A forensic team also visited the crime scene and collected samples for further examination.
Meanwhile, according to media reports, Sarthak's family was informed about the incident through Sanchalika after his mobile phone remained unreachable for several hours on the day of the murder.
The police are continuing their investigation to establish the exact sequence of events, the motive behind the alleged crime and the individual roles of the two arrested women.
(With the inputs from media agencies)