Aprofound sense of shock enveloped Khardah in North 24 Parganas on Sunday afternoon after four members of a family were found dead in their apartment located on M S Mukherjee Road here.
The Khardah police recovered the bodies of a man, his wife and their two children from a flat located at 54, M S Mukherjee Road near Karabi Tower. The police broke open the door of the apartment after locals complained of a foul odour emanating from it. The police suspect the incident to be a case of murder-cum-suicide.
On the basis of preliminary inquiry, they believe that the head of the family first killed his wife and their two children and then took his own life by hanging himself from the ceiling fan in one of the rooms. Police recovered the bodies from different rooms of the apartment.
They suspect that the tragic incident might have occurred a few days ago. Local councillor Mausumi Pal told authorities that the owner of the apartment, Arup Gangopadhyay, had informed her that his tenant Brindaban Karmakar was traceless for the past two days and that even his family members had remained incommunicado. Pal said she had asked Arup to inform the police station.
Nilu Sarkar, the Chairperson of the Khardah Municipality, said that Brindaban Karmakar, a businessperson, had remained actively engaged in the local community’s Kali Puja preparations and had also donated several puja materials this year. The family had also donated idols and clothings during the festivals recently.
The motive behind the tragic event remains unclear, leaving neighbours and acquaintances bewildered. The family, including an 8- year-old son and a 16-yearold daughter, leaves behind a grieving community trying to comprehend the inexplicable circumstances leading to the deaths. Police are investigating the case to unravel the truth surrounding this heartbreaking incident that has left Khardah in mourning.