A night of horrific domestic violence has left a well-off family in South Kolkata's Lake Gardens area fighting for their lives in hospital. In a shocking incident early Wednesday, a businessman allegedly doused his wife and teenage daughter with kerosene, attacked them with a sickle, and then set himself on fire.
A Night of Terror in Bangur Park
The incident occurred around 1 am on Wednesday at the family's third-floor apartment in Bangur Park, near Lake Gardens. According to the police, Tuhin Basu Roy (49) allegedly entered the bedroom where his wife, Sarbani Basu Roy (42), and their 13-year-old daughter were sleeping. A strong smell of kerosene reportedly woke Sarbani, who found her husband sprinkling the flammable liquid on them.
When Sarbani tried to resist, an enraged Tuhin is said to have picked up a sickle and attacked both her and their daughter. Sarbani sustained multiple injuries on the upper part of her body, while her daughter was injured on her hand. Following the assault, Tuhin then poured kerosene on himself and lit a match, setting himself ablaze.
A Family Torn Apart and Critical Injuries
The aftermath of the violence has left all three victims hospitalised in critical but stable condition. The mother and daughter have been admitted to AMRI Hospital in Dhakuria. Tuhin Basu Roy, with severe burns, is under treatment at Belle Vue Clinic. Doctors have reported that he has suffered approximately 50% burns.
The couple, married since 1996, owned two flats in the building and were considered affluent, with Tuhin running an education consultancy and a plastic manufacturing unit. Sarbani is a senior executive with a car manufacturing company. Their two children, a 15-year-old son and the 13-year-old daughter, attend a top private school in Behala. The son was present at home during the incident, while the daughter was visiting her uncle.
Contradictory Claims and Police Investigation
The police investigation has revealed conflicting accounts of the night's events. While Sarbani's complaint details the sequence of events as described, Tuhin Basu Roy has made a counter-allegation. He claims that it was his wife who poured kerosene on him and tried to set him on fire, and that she was responsible for injuring their daughter.
"Based on their statements, two separate cases of attempt to murder have been registered at the Lake police station," confirmed Deputy Commissioner (Southeast) Gaurav Sharma. An investigating officer stated that the key testimony will come from the recovering daughter to ascertain the exact chain of events. The police have also taken the 15-year-old son to the scene and are speaking to relatives to understand what led to the deterioration of the couple's relationship, which their security guard, Kartik, said had seen increasingly frequent arguments recently.
The forensic team has collected crucial evidence from the spot as the probe continues into this tragic case of alleged domestic violence that has shaken a quiet Kolkata neighbourhood.
