In a shocking incident from central Kolkata, a 38-year-old woman has been taken into custody for the alleged murder of her husband. The event, which unfolded at the couple's residence on Sashi Bhushan Dey Street, has sent ripples through the local community and exposed a bitter domestic conflict rooted in a property dispute.
The Fatal Night and Immediate Aftermath
The victim, 48-year-old Ashok Kumar Das, was found dead with multiple stab wounds on Tuesday night. According to police, the incident is believed to have occurred between 9 pm and 11:55 pm. The fatal altercation began when Ashok returned home around 9 pm to search for some documents. A heated argument ensued, during which his wife, Sarbani Das, reportedly threatened him with a kitchen knife.
During the struggle, the knife punctured Ashok's lungs, leaving a deep 1.5-inch-long wound. As he began bleeding profusely, Sarbani, along with their 15-year-old son, attempted to take him to a local nursing home. However, the nursing home turned them away. It was the local councillor, alerted by the nursing home staff, who subsequently informed the police, setting the investigation in motion.
Police Investigation Unravels the Truth
The Muchipara police station registered a suo motu case of homicide after no formal complaint was filed by the family or neighbours. Initial statements from Sarbani claimed her husband had met with an accident before arriving home. However, this story quickly fell apart under scrutiny.
CCTV footage from the main gate of the building clearly showed Ashok entering the house without any visible injuries. This critical evidence directly contradicted Sarbani's account. Furthermore, officers conducted an extensive search of the premises and recovered the alleged murder weapon—a blood-stained knife—from under the couple's bed.
Police confirmed that only Sarbani and the couple's son, a Class 7 student at a reputable English-medium school, were present at home during the time of the murder. The boy was questioned but is not currently being treated as a witness. "Our initial probe suggested there had been frequent quarrels between the two," revealed an investigating officer.
Motive Rooted in Property and Financial Strain
The investigation points to a long-simmering property dispute as the primary motive behind the tragic event. Both Ashok and Sarbani owned a small flat each in the area. Interestingly, it was Sarbani who was the primary breadwinner, supporting the family financially. Ashok had expressed a desire to sell his flat, a point of contention that likely fueled the fatal argument on Tuesday night.
The postmortem examination confirmed the cause of death as a stab injury, ante-mortem in nature, consistent with a sharp-edged, single-bladed weapon. The autopsy also revealed older injury marks on the victim's body, hinting at a possible history of domestic strife. Police also noted Sarbani's history of arguments with other tenants in the building.
Sarbani was initially allowed to claim her husband's body after the postmortem on Wednesday. However, under sustained police questioning, she finally broke down on Thursday and confessed to the crime. Officers stated that the circumstances and injuries leave no doubt that this was a clear case of homicide.
The police teams have seized several items from the house for forensic analysis as the investigation continues to build a watertight case.
