Patna: In a tragic incident, a 30-year-old woman and her two minor children were allegedly strangled at their home in Madhuban Jagdish village under Kanti police station in Muzaffarpur district. The victims were identified as Rita Devi, wife of Santosh Sah, their two-year-old daughter Vaishnavi, and three-month-old son Kanhaiya.
Discovery of Bodies
The bodies were found lying on a bed in their room on Tuesday morning when Santosh, who works in the catering business, returned home around 3:30 a.m. from a wedding with his brother. On reaching, he found the main door locked from the outside. After opening it, he entered the room and discovered the bodies. A rope was found lying nearby.
Allegations and Investigation
SP (rural) Rajesh Kumar Singh Prabhakar stated that the husband has alleged that his relatives, who live in the neighborhood, were behind the killings due to a long-standing land dispute and property distribution issue. He claimed some relatives had sold part of their land and had repeatedly threatened to kill his family. A forensic science laboratory team collected evidence from the spot, including the rope suspected to have been used in the crime. There is a visible mark around their neck, he said.
The bodies have been sent to SKMCH for post-mortem examination. The actual reason for death will be known from the medical report. Some people have been detained for interrogation. Further investigation is underway, the SP added.
Family Background
The couple got married in 2019 and had four children. The other two children were sleeping with their grandmother on Monday night and were unharmed. Santosh's mother, Urmila Devi, also accused relatives of committing the crime due to the ongoing land dispute in the family. She said attempts were made on her son's life in the past as well.
Police Response
DSP (west) Suchitra Kumari reached the spot soon after the incident was reported. A forensic team has also been called in to assist with the investigation. Police are probing the case from all possible angles, including the family's land dispute claims. The exact cause and circumstances of the deaths will be confirmed only after the post-mortem reports are received, she said.
