Bengal: Baranagar woman’s murder mystery deepens as missing phone sends chilling messages

Kolkata: The mystery surrounding the death of a 26-year-old woman whose body was recovered from a locked flat in Baranagar in West Bengal’s North 24 Parganas district has deepened, with fresh details emerging from the police investigation on Thursday.

Investigators have learnt that the clothes worn by the victim, Anjali Sau, were torn, while her family has reported that her mobile phone, wristwatch, ring, bracelet and earrings are missing.

The police have identified a young man after examining CCTV footage from the residential building. He is reportedly known to the deceased, and investigators suspect that the two shared a close relationship. The police are examining the possibility that complications in their relationship could have led to the murder.

Investigators are also exploring whether the suspect took advantage of the fact that the woman was staying alone in a flat belonging to her sister and brother-in-law. The police have tracked the accused’s mobile phone location and believe that he has fled to another state. However, they are withholding further details to avoid compromising the investigation.

The incident came to light late on Tuesday night when police from Baranagar police station broke open the door of a locked flat in a five-storey residential building in the Lake Palli area, near Ward 17. They found the body of Anjali Sau inside. No one else was present in the flat.

Anjali’s sister and brother-in-law had been living in the apartment for around four years. However, the brother-in-law has shifted to Serampore in Hooghly district due to business commitments. Anjali occasionally stayed at the flat, although the family’s principal residence is in the nearby Dunlop area.

On Wednesday, local BJP MLA Sajal Ghosh met police officials and residents of the area and assured the victim’s family of his support.

"The culprit will certainly be caught. However, the police need some more time for the sake of the investigation," Ghosh said.

On Monday, her brother-in-law, who owns the flat, left its keys with a neighbour. Anjali collected the keys from the neighbour on Tuesday afternoon and entered the apartment. Later that day, her elder sister repeatedly tried to contact her over the phone but received no response. The family subsequently alerted the police.

The body was sent to Baranagar State General Hospital, where an autopsy was conducted. The post-mortem report is awaited.

Meanwhile, a cousin of the deceased made fresh allegations on Thursday, claiming that there were injury marks on her neck and face. He also said that a white scarf was tied around her neck when the body was found.

The family subsequently informed the police about the person they suspected of being involved in the crime. During the investigation, the missing mobile phone was briefly switched on, giving rise to another disturbing development.

According to the victim’s cousin, family members sent a simple 'Hi' message to the phone. They received an unexpected reply: "If you want to know or ask something, you will get an answer."

Another message followed shortly afterwards: "I am among you, but you won’t be able to catch me." The phone was switched off soon after.

The family suspects that the man they have named to the police is in possession of Anjali’s phone. They have handed over screenshots of the messages to the investigators.

The police are now questioning family members and other residents of the apartment complex to establish whether anyone noticed unfamiliar people entering or leaving the building around the time of the murder. Investigators are also trying to establish why someone would use the victim’s own mobile phone to send such messages to her family after her death.

The messages have added another dimension to the investigation. The police are examining whether they were intended to intimidate the family, convey a particular message or deliberately mislead investigators. The possible motive behind the crime and the accused's state of mind are also being examined.

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