E-Paper
Prayagraj triple murder follow-up: Cops make some headway with missing phone, CCTV footage
Police teams probing the brutal murder of a deaf-mute couple and a woman in Shahganj area are focusing on three crucial leads— a missing mobile phone, CCTV footage and the victims’ identities — even as the case remained unsolved more than 24 hours after the bodies were discovered
Police teams probing the brutal murder of a deaf-mute couple and a woman in Shahganj area are focusing on three crucial leads— a missing mobile phone, CCTV footage and the victims’ identities — even as the case remained unsolved more than 24 hours after the bodies were discovered.
Police believe the killer fled with the male victim’s Android phone after the murders, making it a vital piece of evidence that could help establish the victims’ identities, trace their contacts and eventually lead investigators to the accused.
According to police officials, CCTV footage from the vicinity shows a man hurriedly leaving a lane near the crime scene late on Monday night. Investigators suspect he had entered the rented room before the murders and fled after killing the three occupants following a dispute. His identity also remains unknown.
During the initial investigation, police found that the male victim’s mobile phone was missing from the room, raising suspicions that the assailant took it away to destroy evidence or conceal the victims’ identities.
A probe into the SIM card revealed that it was registered in the name of the son of a Provincial Armed Constabulary (PAC) head constable posted in Varanasi, who, incidentally, is also deaf and dumb. During questioning, the boy denied any knowledge of the SIM card. Police have since placed the phone under surveillance. Its last location was traced near Prayagraj Junction before it was switched off.
Investigators are now examining CCTV footage from cameras installed between the crime scene and the railway station to reconstruct the suspect’s movements.
The PAC constable, originally from Meja, told police that his son had been admitted to a school for the deaf and mute in Georgetown several years ago but had gone missing from the hostel for some time. During that period, he had reportedly stayed with the deceased couple. Investigators suspect the couple may have used the boy’s Aadhaar details to obtain the SIM card without his knowledge.
He was later taken back by his family to Varanasi, where he now works at a hotel.
Meanwhile, a scrap dealer from Shahganj, Shyamlal, informed police that the deaf-mute couple frequently communicated through video calls. Based on this information, investigators are analysing the phone’s call detail records, internet activity and possible video-call contacts in an effort to establish the victims’ identities, map their social circle and identify recent interactions.
Police investigation has revealed that the deaf-mute couple had arrived in Prayagraj from West Bengal around 20 years ago. They initially lived in shanties near the railway station. Later, the couple shifted to rented accommodation and survived by rag-picking and begging. However, the identity of the woman found dead alongside the couple has still not been established.
Joint teams of the Shahganj police, the Special Operations Group (SOG) and the Crime Branch are questioning several suspects. Police are also awaiting forensic findings and the post-mortem examination report to determine the exact time, manner and motive behind the killings.
“Every aspect of the triple murder is being investigated thoroughly. CCTV footage, mobile surveillance, forensic evidence and questioning have yielded several important leads,” said Manish Shandilya, deputy commissioner of police (city).
The blood-soaked bodies of three people - a man and two women - were found on Tuesday morning in a rented room on the first floor of a three-storey house owned by Sushila Devi in Garhikala locality of Shahganj.
