india

Updated: Jun 03, 2019 07:38 IST

West Bengal Police has arrested a 35-year-old man in connection with the murder of a woman in East Burdwan district and suspect him to be behind four other murders that took place in the neighbouring areas over the last five months.

Police said Kamruzzaman Sarkar was arrested in connection with the murder of 52-year-old Rita Roy in April but could be involved in the other murders too, as well as some killings that took place in 2013.

Most of the victims were strangled with steel chains. The gruesome acts earned the murderer the name “chain killer” in the Kalna and Memari police station areas of East Burdwan. Till Sunday night, police could not ascertain if Sarkar was psychologically imbalanced. The killings spread panic among women and triggered rumours. Senior officers such as former deputy inspector general of police (Burdwan Range) Tanmoy Roychaudhury had to visit the spot after Rita was killed.

“Five women were killed in Memari and Kalna area in the last five months. Two women narrowly escaped strangulation attempts. There were similarities in the pattern of the crime. We are suspecting Sarkar and interrogating him,” said Pranab Banerjee, officer in-charge, Kalna police station.

In the last five months, Pushpa Das and Putul Majhi from Kalna, Rita from Memari and Anjana Roy from Manteshwar were killed when they were alone at home. Three victims were strangled, while two were hit behind the head with heavy objects. Kalna’s Iti Mondal and Laxmibala Pal had a narrow escape.

A police officer, requesting anonymity, said, “All these cases remained unsolved, essentially due to lack of any evidence indicating motive behind the killings. The backgrounds of the victims vary but they were all killed between afternoon and evening hours when they were alone.”

Incidentally, police in East Burdwan district had set their focus on finding out a gang or person behind several murders.

Two similar cases had taken place in 2013 but remained unsolved, said a police officer.