Agartala, June 12 – In a chilling incident, the decomposed body of a 24-year-old youth who had been missing for four days was recovered from a deep freezer inside a betel shop in Gandacherra, Dhalai district, on Wednesday.
The deceased, Shariful Islam, an electrician working under the Smart City project in Agartala’s Indranagar area, was reported missing by his family, who suspected he had been kidnapped. A formal deputation had been submitted to the local police regarding his disappearance.
On Monday, locals in Indranagar detained a suspect, Dr. Dibakar Saha, who had allegedly called Shariful on Sunday night under the pretext of offering a gift. Based on information provided by Dibakar during questioning, police traced the body to a refrigerator at a betel shop in Narayanpur, Gandacherra.
The shop is owned by Dibakar’s father, Dipak Saha, a schoolteacher. A forensic team and local police conducted a preliminary investigation at the scene. The body was found stuffed inside a trolley bag with the victim’s hands tied, sparking outrage and fear in the area.
Initial investigation revealed that Shariful was in a romantic relationship with Dibakar’s cousin, which was reportedly disapproved of by her family due to religious differences. Sources also suggest that Dibakar had feelings for the same girl, possibly contributing to the motive behind the murder.
The body was shifted to Gandacherra Sub-Divisional Hospital for post-mortem examination.
West Tripura District Superintendent of Police Dr. Kiran Kumar K confirmed the arrest of six individuals in connection with the case: Dr. Dibakar Saha (28), his father Dipak Saha (52), mother Debika Saha (48), Animesh Yadav (24), Joydip Das (28), and Nabanita Das (25).
Further investigation is ongoing as police work to uncover the full details behind the gruesome crime.