Kharghuli murder solved in 24 hrs; caretaker confesses, wife booked for concealing info

Guwahati, July 3: The Guwahati Police, on Thursday, arrested the prime accused in the brutal murder of 72-year-old Bandana Das in Kharghuli, within just 24 hours of launching their investigation.

The accused, Ratul Das, who had been working as a caretaker for the victim for the past year, reportedly confessed to killing the elderly woman on the night of July 1 while she was asleep.

“Yesterday, around 6 am, we received information about the incident. We immediately began an investigation and soon suspected Ratul Das. Later, he confessed to the crime. He entered the victim’s room by climbing the wall around midnight and then killed her,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Amitabh Basumatary.

Ratul initially tried to cover up the crime. However, a cut on his finger sustained during the act served as clue that led the police’s suspicion to him.

“After committing the crime, he disposed of the murder weapon behind the house and threw his blood-stained vest into a drain to destroy evidence. He attempted to stage the crime scene to make it look like an outsider had broken in,” added DCP Basumatary.

On Thursday morning, police took Ratul to the crime scene where he helped them recover the murder weapon.

During interrogation, Ratul claimed he was under the influence of alcohol during the incident. He also alleged that he was frequently verbally abused by the victim and denied money when he asked for it, which triggered his rage.

Significantly, Ratul’s wife, Kunjalata Das, has also been implicated in the case for concealing information.

“After Ratul confessed the crime to his wife, she failed to inform the police. Had she come forward immediately, the outcome might have been different,” said Basumatary.

Earlier, on Wednesday Banada's body was was discovered around 7:30 am in a locked room and after receiving information, police initiated an investigation and detained the caretaker. 

Meanwhile, the investigation is ongoing, and police are exploring all possible angles related to the crime.