KOLKATA: A 52-year-old garment trader allegedly killed his wife and two children before dying by suicide at an apartment in Khardah on the northern fringes of the city.
The decomposed bodies of the trader, Brindaban Karmakar, his 40-year-old wife Debashree, the couple's 16-year-old daughter Debolina and eight-year-old son Sanju were recovered from their locked flat off MS Mukherjee Road in Khardah on Sunday afternoon, barely four days after the entire family had participated in a local Kali Puja immersion procession and enjoyed it with their neighbours on Wednesday night.
A suicide note was also recovered from the room where Debashree and the two children were found lying on the floor, and Brindaban was found hanging from the ceiling.
Police suspect Brindaban hacked his wife and two children to death, and later hanged himself. According to police sources, the trader may have committed the crime over an alleged extra-marital affair of his wife, which was reportedly mentioned in the suicide note.
"We suspect that the incident took place two or three days ago. The man could have killed his wife and two children while they were sleeping at night. The man had suspected his wife of having an illicit affair, which could have led to the murders and suicide," an investigating officer said.
According to local sources, the trader and his family were living in the rented flat at the Khardah apartment 'Karabi Tower' at ward number 19 in Khardah Municipality for over a couple of years.
"The couple used to engage in brawls over the woman's alleged extra-marital affair. The trader had even warned his wife several times to break off her alleged illicit affair but she reportedly continued with the affair," a local woman said.
Neighbours said, Brindaban was last seen on Thursday evening while he was buying chapatis and curry from a local fast food centre.