Swimming tutor held for allegedly trying to kill his former student
Telegraph | 21 March 2025
A swimming instructor was arrested on Wednesday for allegedly trying to kill his former student, a teenager, by strangulating her and then slitting her throat after he managed to convince her to hand over her mother’s jewellery on Tuesday.
Police said Sandip Shaw, in his early 30s, was arrested after the girl filed a written complaint with Chitpore police station alleging that her swimming instructor visited her house in north Calcutta and tried to kill her on Tuesday afternoon.
Shaw used to teach her swimming at a pool in Cossipore.
“A case under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including an attempt to murder, robbery and robbery or dacoity with a grievous hurt, was drawn up. Shaw was arrested after we received the complaint,” said a senior officer of Chitpore police station.
“Initially, Shaw feigned ignorance, but later admitted committing the crime,” said the officer.
In her complaint, the girl said Shaw visited her house around 3.15pm on Tuesday and wanted to know if she was alone.
After the girl confirmed that she was alone, Shaw asked her to give him her mother’s jewellery. He told her to check with her mother about the hand-over once she was back.
“In her complaint, the girl alleged that after she handed over the jewellery, Shaw tried to strangulate her with a towel,” the officer said.
“After overpowering the girl, he went to the kitchen, picked up a knife and tried slitting the teenager’s throat. He fled, leaving her bleeding,” the officer said.
Alarmed by the girl’s cries, some neighbours rushed in and took her to a hospital. The doctors at the hospital treated the deep injury on her neck. She filed the complaint after her condition stabilised.
Investigators said Shaw was known to the family for some time.
On Tuesday, Shaw knew the girl would be alone at home. He planned his visit accordingly and wanted to kill the girl after taking the jewellery, the cops said. He fled after his murder plan failed.