Kolkata, Feb. 18 -- In a major breakthrough, the police on Tuesday recovered the severed head of Hazrat Lashkar, a 29-year-old man whose headless and half-burnt body was found in a field in Duttapukur, North 24-Parganas, two weeks ago.
Lashkar's body was discovered on the morning of February 3 in a field beside an agricultural land in the Chhota Jagulia area under the Duttapukur Police Station. Investigators identified him as a former criminal-turned-police informer and launched a manhunt for the perpetrators. This led to the arrest of four suspects, including the prime accused, Jalil, who was tracked down in Jammu. Also arrested were Jalil's wife, Sufiya Khatun, Lashkar's cousin, Obaidullah Gazi and his wife, Puja Das alias Nisha.
Following intense interrogation, the accused confessed to the murder and revealed that the severed head had been disposed of in a pond near the Railway gate in Bamangachi, about two kilometres from the crime scene.
On Tuesday, police, accompanied by Jalil and Sufiya, conducted a search of the pond. A disaster management team successfully retrieved the head, which was identified by the victim's family. Further investigation revealed that Jalil's wife played a crucial role in concealing evidence. She had allegedly disposed of Lashkar's mobile phone in another pond nearby, which is yet to be recovered.
Police sources stated that the severed head will undergo forensic examination and they are hopeful of solving the case soon.
Jalil initially claimed the murder stemmed from a dispute over stolen gold but later altered his statement. Sources now suggest Sufiya was having an affair with Lashkar. Jalil, disturbed by the affair and an alleged sexual assault of Sufiya by Lashkar, orchestrated the murder with his wife's assistance.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.