Body mystery solved: Cousin killed cousin for getting too close to wife
Times of India | 7 February 2025
12 Kolkata: A tattoo on the victim's hand helped identify the headless, half-burned body of a young man with mutilated genitals, found in a Duttapukur paddy field in North 24-Parganas on Monday. The victim, Hazrat Lashkar (29), was a criminal-turned-police informer. He was murdered by his cousin, also a notorious criminal, Obaidullah Gazi, with whom he worked closely until becoming an informer. Gazi blamed Lashkar for tipping off the police, leading to his arrest. When Gazi was behind bars, Lashkar allegedly was having an affair with his wife Nisha. Gazi and Nisha have been arrested.
Police said that Lashkar had helped the police arrest Gazi. After the arrest, Lashkar allegedly got involved in an affair with Gazi's wife, Puja Das, alias Nisha. "After a missing persons report was filed at Gaighata police station on Wednesday, the Lashkar family was called to identify the half-burnt, naked body of a young man with his hands and feet tied. The identification was confirmed by a tattoo on the victim's left hand, which featured two hearts and the letter ‘R'. Both the deceased and the arrested accused are residents of Angul Kata area under Gaighata police station," a senior officer of Barasat district police said. Sources said that the victim's family informed Gaighata police that Hazrat left home on Sunday afternoon and was missing since then.
Barasat police superintendent Pratiksha Jharkhariya said police will also perform a DNA test on Lashkar's body. Police decided to conduct the test after Lashkar's wife, who identified her husband with her in-laws, did not appear to be so certain in the afternoon. But her in-laws stuck to their views. Later on Thursday, Shaina again confirmed that the body was her husband's.
Investigators then identified Gazi, Lashkar's cousin, as a suspect, based on information from Lashkar's family. "Using technology, cops quickly tracked his movements and found that he (Gazi) was travelling by train from Dum Dum to Barasat. Acting swiftly, they reached Barasat railway station in the evening, detained Gazi, and took him to Duttapukur police station. After interrogation, he was finally arrested later on Wednesday night," a senior police officer of the Barasat district police said.
Police said Hazrat also had a criminal past and was earlier involved in theft and robbery, often working alongside Gazi. Multiple written complaints were filed against them at various police stations under the Bidhannagar and Barrackpore Commissionerates, as well as in the Barasat district police jurisdiction. Hazrat was also arrested in a drug smuggling case.
"But Hazrat left the world of crime long ago. With the help of a senior officer from Uttarpara police station, he reformed and turned into an informer. He not only distanced himself from his criminal past but also helped cops apprehend several of his former associates, including Gazi," an investigating officer said.
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