Teacher kills wife, sets body on fire to pass it off as suicide; arrested

Police said even though they were yet to receive the final autopsy report, the preliminary one suggested murder. The suspect was arrested Thursday

Kolkata: A 30-year-old man, a teacher at school in Kolkata , was arrested on charges of murdering his wife on Tuesday after they quarrelled over buying a car.

Police said Suryakat Tiwari first murdered his wife and then set the body on fire while trying to pass it off as a suicide. (Representative photo.)

Police said that the accused Suryakant Tiwari, first murdered his wife and then set the body on fire while trying to pass it off as a suicide. He was arrested on Thursday after the autopsy report busted his false narrative.

“The autopsy report stated that the victim was first hit with a blunt object on the back of her head, which killed her. After her death the body was set on fire,” said a police officer.

A preliminary probe by the police revealed that the couple hailed from Uttar Pradesh and married only four months ago. They were living in a second-floor flat on 24 Jadunath Dey Road in central Kolkata’s Bowbazarrea.

On October 17, the police were alerted that smoke was coming out of the flat. When the cops reached the spot, Tiwari said that his wife Dipti Shukla, 24, committed suicide.

“Tiwari claimed that his wife committed suicide by setting herself on fire. But there were some inconsistencies in his statements. The body was sent for post mortem and the accused was also questioned,” said the officer.

Police said even though they were yet to receive the final autopsy report, the preliminary one suggested murder. The suspect was arrested on Thursday.

“The autopsy report indicated murder and that it was not a case of suicide. The accused was grilled and he broke down. During questioning he stated that there was some quarrel between him and his wife over buying a car. We are verifying his statements,” said the officer.

Neighbours said that though the couple lived in a flat in the building they hardly interacted. Neighbours, however, could, at times, hear the couple quarrelling.