Kishanganj (Bihar)7 minutes ago
A young man from Bihar’s Kishanganj district was allegedly murdered by beheading in Darjeeling district of West Bengal. Police claim the killing was masterminded by his wife with the help of her lover, with the crime reportedly linked to an illicit relationship and black magic.
Body found by tea garden workers
On July 14, labourers plucking tea leaves in Section 9 of the Hanskhoya Tea Garden near Bagdogra in Siliguri discovered a blood-soaked, headless body.
Bagdogra police rushed to the spot, recovered the body and sent it to North Bengal Medical College and Hospital for post-mortem.
Victim identified as Kishanganj resident
The deceased was identified as Imam, a resident of Pothiya in Bihar’s Kishanganj district. According to police, he practised tantric rituals.
After identifying the victim, investigators questioned his family members to establish the motive and identify those responsible. During the probe, police learnt that Imam had been called to Bagdogra by his wife, Momin, on Monday.
Lured on pretext of wife’s illness
Police said Momin told Imam that she was suffering from severe stomach pain and urgently needed treatment. Believing her, Imam travelled nearly 95 km by bus from Kishanganj to Bagdogra.
Investigators allege that soon after he arrived, he was kidnapped and taken to the Section 9 area of the Hanskhoya Tea Garden, where the murder was carried out.
After the murder, Sudeep’s head was severed from his torso.
Severed head recovered 5 km from crime scene
Police said Imam’s wife, Momin, and her lover, Sudeep, had meticulously planned the murder. After Imam arrived in Bagdogra, the duo, along with three relatives, allegedly took him to a tea garden, where he was killed and beheaded.
The victim’s severed head and the sharp weapon used in the crime were later recovered from a deserted spot in Munshibari village in the Phansidewa area, around 5 km from where the headless body was found.
Police say lover delivered the fatal blow
According to investigators, the murder was carried out at night. Police believe Sudeep struck Imam on the head with a sharp weapon, killing him instantly. The accused then severed the head in an attempt to conceal the victim’s identity.
The body was abandoned near the crime scene, while the head was dumped at a remote location enclosed by walls to delay identification and mislead investigators. Police later recovered the head during the investigation.
Seven-year affair led to murder conspiracy
Police said, “Sudeep Pal had been in a relationship with Imam’s wife, Momin Begum, for the past seven years.”
Investigators believe the couple decided to eliminate Imam after he objected to their affair. To carry out the murder, Sudeep allegedly enlisted the help of his two nephews and one of their friends.
Couple had been married for a decade
Imam and Momin had been married for nearly 10 years and were parents to four children. According to police, the couple had been facing marital disputes for the past few years. As a result, Momin had been living with her parents in Bagdogra along with two of their children.
