Retired govt officer murdered in south Kolkata; son-in-law detained
Times of India | 14 September 2025Cops detained his son-in-law, who got married to his daughter barely 20 days ago, on suspicion of carrying out the murder.
Gupta's body was found near the stairs on the second floor of his two-storey residence with multiple injuries. He stayed at Golf Green's Kalabagan with his 70-year-old wife and 30-year-old mentally challenged son.
"We have detained his son-in-law, Sanjit Das alias Puchke (30), a resident of Prince Gholam Mohammad Shah Road, in connection with the suspected murder. A marble craftsman by profession, we are likely to put him under arrest as evidence mounts against him," said joint CP (crime & traffic) Rupesh Kumar.
The discovery was made after Gupta's wife, Sarbari alias Jaya, who resides on the ground floor due to health issues, raised an alarm when her husband did not bring her morning tea and biscuits. Her cries for help alerted neighbours, who promptly alerted the police. Upon arrival, the police transported Gupta to MR Bangur Hospital, where he was declared dead.
Locals revealed that Gupta's daughter was primarily responsible for caring for her elderly parents and her brother.
The marriage reportedly took place against the family's wishes.
Das developed a relationship with Gupta's daughter while working at their home a few months ago. Since the wedding, tensions ran high in the Gupta household.
Neighbour Jharna Mondal alleged Das frequently visited his in-laws' home in an intoxicated state, causing disturbances and allegedly demanding money due to his limited income.
The situation escalated on Friday night, with locals overhearing a heated argument from the house.
The next morning, Gupta's body was found.
The Kolkata Police homicide section under the detective department has taken charge of the investigation, meticulously examining the crime scene and collecting evidence with help from forensic experts of the scientific wing of DD. "Initial findings suggest that Gupta may have been pushed and repeatedly assaulted, leading to his death," said an investigating officer.
Neighbour Mondal recounted the events of the morning, stating, "Jaya was shouting for tea and food, but there was no response from upstairs.
Her cries alarmed all of us as this was unusual. Later, the police came and found the body."
Das was subjected to extensive interrogation at the Golf Green Police Station. Sources close to the investigation have indicated that Das had already confessed to the crime. The police are likely to reconstruct the crime and await some corroborative evidence before formally planning to arrest him.
Gupta's son, who lived on the second floor with his father, had also been taken in for questioning to ascertain any further details that might shed light on the incident.
Police said they will to question the victim's daughter on her whereabouts on the night of the murder. The police are working to piece together the sequence of events that led to Gupta'sdeath and have started collecting all CCTV footage from cameras lying between the residences of the Guptas and that of Das."The case has highlighted the potential dangers of familial discord and the tragic consequences," said an additional cp at Lalbazar.
