Prime accused in Kolkata twin murders arrested: Police

The main accused, Satyendra Chowdhury, was nabbed from a travel agent’s office near Howrah railway station, an officer familiar with the development said. During the preliminary probe, he admitted to killing the teenagers over a monetary dispute, the officer added.

The prime accused in the recent murders of two teenagers near Kolkata was arrested from outside Howrah station on Friday, police said.

While four people were earlier arrested, a search is on for one more person, police said. (Agencies/Representative use)

While four people were earlier arrested, a search is on for one more person, they added.

The main accused, Satyendra Chowdhury, was nabbed from a travel agent’s office near Howrah railway station, an officer familiar with the development said. During the preliminary probe, he admitted to killing the teenagers over a monetary dispute, the officer added.

The bodies of two teenage boys – Atanu Dey (16) and Abhishek Naskar (15) – who went missing from Baguihati near Kolkata on August 22, were found in two separate locations in North 24 Parganas on August 23 and 25, according to police.

While their parents had filed a missing complaint, their bodies lay unidentified in a police morgue in adjacent Basirhat police district for several days. They were later identified following which police learnt that they were cousins.

One person, Abhijit Ghosh, was arrested on Monday, who confessed to the crime. Three others – Samim Ali, Sahil Molla and Dibyendu Das – were subsequently arrested.

During the course of investigation, according to the officer cited above, Chowdhury said Dey had given him an advance of ₹50,000 to purchase a motorcycle but the accused failed to provide one.

As Dey sought his money back, Chowdhury hatched a plan to kill the teenager. On August 22, Chowdhury reportedly called Dey and killed him. Naskar, who was accompanying him, was also killed, the officer said.

The prime accused hired men for the murder and promised them ₹2 lakh. Four members of a gang, whom he had allegedly hired, were arrested earlier, the officer said.

“But when he (Chowdhury) was questioned how he was supposed to pay the hired gang when he was unable to pay back ₹50,000 to the teen, Choudhury had no answer,” the officer said.

“He was sent to CID custody for 14 days by the court on Friday. Further interrogation is needed,” the officer added.

Choudhury had plans to flee to Mumbai, a second officer said, also seeking anonymity. “That is why he was at the travel agent’s office. He was changing SIM cards frequently and kept his phone switched off most of the time which is why it was difficult to trace him,” the officer said.

Investigators had placed the phones of his relatives under surveillance, according to the second officer. Police were able to track him down after he made a call to one of his relatives this morning, asking for ₹6,000 to purchase train tickets, the officer said.

“All these days, he had been spending the nights at Howrah station and during the day, he used to roam around. He soon ran out of money,” the officer said.

Family members of the two boys aid they would want Choudhury and others involved in the double murder be given death penalty.

“The police could not return Atanu. They could not prevent his murder. Now, my only wish is to see his tormentor and murderer getting death penalty,” the grief-stricken mother told reporters who gathered at her home in Jagatpur locality of Baguihati.

“He (the prime accused) ran a bike repair shop in our locality, and was addressed as ‘Kaku’ (uncle) by Atanu. My son blindly trusted him when he promised to get Atanu a fancy second-hand bike. And he abducted my son and killed him. Such a person can be a threat to society if allowed to live,” she added.

On Wednesday, chief minister Mamata Banerjee had ordered a CID probe into the murders. Two officers were also suspended after the deceased’s family alleged police inaction.

All the accused have been booked on charges of abduction and murder.

Earlier, members of the BJP’s women wing as well as CPI(M) activists had held separate demonstrations outside Baguiati police station on September 7.

(With PTI inputs)