STAFF REPORTER
GUWAHATI: Bringing back memories of the Shraddha Walkar murder case and the recent murder of Nikki Yadav, a woman has been arrested for allegedly killing her husband and mother-in-law, chopping their bodies into pieces and then disposing of the body pieces.
Talking to media persons in Guwahati today, Guwahati Commissioner of Police Diganta Borah said that Bandana Kalita (31) was arrested for allegedly killing her husband Amarjyoti Dey, a resident of Narengi, and her mother-in-law Sankari Dey (62), a resident of Chitrabon Path, Zoo Road Tiniali. Sankari Dey was a retired employee of Assam Power Distribution Company Limited (APDCL).
On 29.08.22, a missing complaint was lodged by Bandana Kalita stating that her mother-in-law and husband were missing. Accordingly, a missing report (56/22) dated 29.08.22 was registered in Noonmati PS and Noonmati Police took steps to find the missing persons but could not trace their whereabouts. Later, an FIR was lodged on 21.11.22 by Nirmalya Dey, the nephew of Sankari Dey where it was alleged that Bandana Kalita had withdrawn money from his aunt’s SBI bank account through ATM subsequent to the persons having gone missing and that he suspected that the missing persons could have been abducted. In this regard, Noonmati PS Case No.480/22 u/s 365/382 IPC was registered and investigation was taken up.
Bandana Kalita met police officials too stating that the missing persons were yet to be traced out and requested for proper action. On 14.02.2023, Bandana met the Commissioner of Police, Guwahati and complained about inaction on the part of Noonmati Police in tracing out the missing persons. On the same day, Nirmalya Dey met the DIG, CID and requested to expedite the investigation of the case registered in Noonmati PS regarding suspected abduction of Sankari Dey and Amarjyoti Dey. The DIGP, CID passed on the information to Guwahati Police to look into the investigation of the case. The missing report and the abduction case were reviewed and a special team headed by the ADCP(Central District), Guwahati was entrusted to carry out further investigation in the missing report as well as the abduction case.
Initially not much headway was made in the case. The special team examined Bandana Kalita and Nirmalya Dey. During examination of Bandana Kalita, there were numerous inconsistencies found in her versions which raised the level of suspicion against her and as a result of sustained interrogation over a period of two days, she finally confessed to the commission of the crime. She also disclosed the names of her associates who were her partners in commission of the gruesome crime. Accordingly, the co-accused, namely Dhonti Deka was picked up from Tinsukia with the help of Tinsukia Police, and Arup Deka was picked up from Khanapara and both confessed to commission of the offences.
During interrogation it was revealed that Bandana Kalita and Amarjyoti Dey were married around 12 years back against the wishes of both their families. The post-marital relationship between the two could not exactly be termed as cordial. Amarjyoti was not gainfully employed because of which there were tiffs between husband and wife. Bandana worked in a call centre for two years and managed her husband financially. Later, Amarjyoti’s mother accepted the marriage and started supporting them financially. Subsequently, Bandana Kalita took up training to be a fitness trainer and her mother-in-law initially supported her in this endeavour but later the mother-in-law backed out and did not help her in her chosen profession for which Bandana’s relationship with mother-in-law turned sour.
Reportedly, as per Bandana’s version, her husband Amarjyoti Dey’s lifestyle was also of a different nature and he reportedly used to take addictive substances and also used to maintain multiple friendships with other women.
To get rid of the mother-in-law and her husband, Bandana conspired to kill both of them and accordingly, with the help of her close associates Arup Deka and Dhonti Deka, put her plans into action. On July 26, 2022, she killed her mother-in-law Sankari Dey at her residence. The body was chopped into three pieces. The three accused then threw the body parts into a deep gorge located at Alieangriat under Sohra PS of Meghalaya.
On August 17, 2022, Bandana killed her husband Amarjyoti Dey in their flat at Narengi. His body was chopped into five pieces and the body parts were disposed of on the Dawki Road in Meghalaya.
The Special Team after having come to know about the whereabouts of the bodies/remnants of the bodies, swung into action and the trio were taken to the spots where the body parts of the two persons had been thrown overboard. The team managed to trace out the mortal remains of Sankari Dey. The police also seized two mobile phones of Bandana Kalita and Dhonti Deka, Dhonti Deka’s vehicle bearing registration number AS-01-JC-5795 (Hyundai Accent); ATM cards of Sankari Dey; ATM card of Amarjyoti Dey; and tattered clothes and blanket of Sankari Dey (recovered at Sohra).
Police sources said that motive of the double murder has not been confirmed. Also, it has come to light that the relationship between Sankari Dey and her son Amarjyoti Dey was strained. Further investigation is on.
All three accused were produced in the court today. While Bandana was remanded to three days police custody, Dhonti Deka and Arup Deka were remanded to seven days police custody.
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