Two people have been arrested and charged with arson and murder in West Bengal’s Notungeet village, near Bolpur in Birbhum district. They are accused of killing three members of a family in a fire at their home, police sources said.
“One lady, Najneen Nahar alias, Smriti Bibi, was arrested on Sunday. She was the wife of the deceased man’s younger brother,” Birbhum Superintendent of Police (SP) Raj Narayan Mukherjee said. “She was in an extra-marital affair with a quack doctor, Safikul Islam, alias Chandan Sheikh. He was arrested on Monday.”
Mr. Mukherjee added that according to the suspects’ confessions in the interrogations, Smriti Bibi and Chandan allegedly conspired to kill the family together to protect their affair. “The victims had strongly protested against their illicit affair, after which the duo conspired to kill them in a fire to seek revenge,” he said.
He added that before the house was set ablaze, the accused sprayed chloroform through the open windows. “When the victims were asleep and unconscious, they poured petrol into the room and set it ablaze,” Mr. Mukherjee said.
According to the SP, the motive was to take revenge for the family’s disapproval.
Sheikh Abdul Alim, his wife Rupa Bibi, and their four-year-old son died after a massive blaze engulfed their house in the early hours of Friday.
The only surviving member of the family, Alim’s older son Sheikh Raj, claimed on Friday that there was foul play involved and that he knew who was responsible.
