In a shocking incident from Agartala, a 70-year-old woman allegedly lost her life after refusing to meet the undue demands of her daughter and son-in-law. The deceased, identified as Sulekha Dey, a resident of West Bubhanban under West Agartala police station, was reportedly assaulted for declining to buy a new scooter for her son-in-law and for refusing to make her daughter the nominee of a fixed deposit investment.
Police on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of the deceased’s daughter Bulti Deb and her husband Bishnu Deb for their alleged involvement in the killing. According to police, the case took a dramatic turn during the investigation when the initial complainants themselves emerged as the prime accused.
Speaking to the media, SDPO Sadar D.P. Ray said that initially the accused couple had lodged a complaint claiming that unidentified assailants had entered their residence and attacked the elderly woman. They later shifted her to GBP Hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries during treatment. However, investigators soon noticed multiple inconsistencies in their statements.
“The accused were living with the victim in the same house. Their version did not match the physical and circumstantial evidence,” Ray said. With no breakthrough initially, police began probing family disputes, which revealed frequent quarrels over financial matters. Bishnu Deb allegedly demanded a new scooter from his mother-in-law, while Bulti Deb was keen to access a fixed deposit of around Rs 2.5 lakh that was nearing maturity.
When Sulekha Dey resisted their demands, police allege that both accused assaulted her, causing grievous injuries. In an attempt to portray the incident as a robbery, the accused allegedly removed her gold ornaments. The missing gold chain was later recovered from a relative, following police interrogation. All recovered items were seized in the presence of an executive magistrate.
OC West Agartala Police Station Rana Chatterjee stated that digital evidence and scientific investigation established the role of the accused. “The complaint was an attempt to mislead the investigation and evade police action,” he said. The investigation is ongoing, and further legal proceedings are underway.
