1 held, row over money behind crime: Police

KOLKATA: Seven days after the murder of a primary school teacher, his pregnant wife and minor son in Jiaganj, Murshidabad, set off a political storm in Bengal, police said on Tuesday that they have solved the crime following the arrest of Utpal Behra, a mason, who purchased an insurance policy from the teacher, Bandhu Prakash Pal.

Behra (20) killed the family with a sharp weapon after Pal allegedly abused him on phone when he insisted that the teacher either hand over a receipt of the premium or return the money, said Mukesh (who goes by one name), the superintendent of Murshidabad district police. Behra was arrested on Monday for murdering Pal (aka Prakash Pal, (35), his wife Beauty (28) and son Angan (6) on October 8.

On Tuesday, additional chief judicial magistrate of Lalbag court, Suparna Roy sent Behra to 14 days in police custody.

The district police chief said, “Behra bought an insurance policy from Prakash Pal. The insurance was for 11 years and he paid two annual premiums of ~24,167 in cash. He got the receipt for the first premium but not for the second one.”

On October 5, Behra purchased the murder weapon. On the day of the murder, he reached the latter’s house around noon. “Behra stabbed Pal soon after he opened the door. Then he went to the bedroom and killed Beauty. The last person to be murdered was the child,” said Mukesh.

On Tuesday, a BJP team including Kailash Vijayvargiya (national general secretary), Mukul Roy (national executive member) and Swapan Dasgupta (Rajya Sabha MP) met President Ram Nath Kovind in Delhi over the crime.