West Bengal horror: Woman, 5-year-old daughter found half-burned at home; suicide suspected
Times of India | 1 March 2025
A 28-year-old woman and her five-year-old daughter were found dead under mysterious circumstances in Madhyamgram. Authorities suspect it might be a murder-suicide, initiated by the mother. KOLKATA: The half-burned bodies of a 28-year-old homemaker and her five-year-old daughter were recovered from their house under mysterious circumstances in the Doharia Shailesh Nagar Durga Mandap area in Madhyamgram in North 24-Parganas on Saturday morning, minutes after the woman's husband received a message stating, "No one is responsible for our deaths."
Police suspect Madhumita Roy killed her daughter before setting herself on fire, though the exact cause of death is yet to be confirmed. "Prima facie, it appears to be a case of murder-suicide. An investigation is underway," said a senior officer from Barasat district police.
Madhumita lived with her husband, Prasenjit, who works at a plywood factory, and their daughter. The couple were married for seven years. According to police sources, Prasenjit spoke to his wife over the phone on Saturday morning after leaving for work.
However, when she failed to answer his subsequent calls, he grew concerned and contacted a local grocery store to check on her. Around the same time, he received her suicide note on WhatsApp. Alarmed, he alerted neighbours, who rushed to the house and found the mother and daughter lying dead.
The two were taken to a private hospital in Madhyamgram, where doctors declared them dead. Their bodies were later moved to Madhyamgram Matrisadan Hospital. Police reported a strong smell of kerosene in the room. Investigators are also looking into whether Madhumita was suffering from mental health issues.
"The suicide note states that no one is responsible for their deaths. The bodies have been sent for post-mortem, and the actual cause of death will be determined after the report is received. Two unnatural death cases have been initiated," said a senior officer from Madhyamgram police station.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the locality. "We never heard of any significant disputes between the couple over family matters. The family was well-known to the neighbours, and the mother-daughter duo appeared normal even on Friday afternoon. They spoke to us as usual. We were utterly shocked when their bodies were recovered. Never did we imagine that something so horrific could happen," said a local woman.
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