Bengal cop booked for murder over mysterious death of woman home guard, SIT to probe case

Kolkata, Dec 29 (IANS) A Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been constituted to probe the mysterious death of a female home guard in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district, while the accused police officer has been suspended from duty in connection with the case.

The police said on Monday that a murder case has been registered against Canning Police Station sub-inspector Sayan Bhattacharya after the family of the deceased home guard accused him of having a role in the death of the woman. The body of the home guard, identified as Reshmi Molla, was recovered from the police residential quarters in Canning on Saturday.

The body of Reshmi, also known as Guljan Parveen Molla, was found hanging from the ceiling inside a room of the police quarters. She was a resident of the Uttar Moukhali area under Jibantala Police Station in Canning Block II.

Following the incident, the accused sub-inspector has gone missing, and police have launched a manhunt to nab him.

“The police have launched an investigation against the officer based on a complaint of murder lodged by the family of the home guard. The police are searching for him relentlessly as he remains untraceable. A six-member SIT has been formed, and the Additional Superintendent of Police of Baruipur Police District, Rupantar Sengupta, has been appointed as the head of this Special Investigation Team,” a police official said.

The police suspect that Sayan Bhattacharya went into hiding soon after news of Reshmi Molla’s mysterious death surfaced.

The victim’s family has alleged that Reshmi had an extramarital affair with the sub-inspector and that she was murdered after the relationship came to light. Based on the complaint, the Baruipur police registered a murder case against the cop and initiated an investigation.

According to police, Reshmi went to the quarters behind the Canning police station after completing her duty on Friday. However, her family members failed to contact her thereafter. Despite repeated phone calls, there was no response. Attempts to reach her continued throughout Saturday but proved unsuccessful.

The family subsequently went to Canning Police Station. Her sister, Ruksana Khatun, proceeded to the police quarters and, upon opening the door, found Reshmi’s body hanging from the ceiling with a scarf tied around her neck. Hearing Ruksana’s screams, others, including polie rushed to the spot.

The Canning police rushed her to Canning Sub-Divisional Hospital, where doctors declared her dead. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination.

Incidentally, Reshmi’s father, Rashid Molla, was murdered in the Bhangar area of South 24 Parganas during the panchayat elections about two years ago. Following his death, the eldest daughter of the family was appointed as a home guard.

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