Police on Friday night recovered the decomposed body of a lady doctor from her official quarters of a government hospital in Purulia and started a murder case based on a complaint lodged by her family members.

The police said the body of Suchitra Singh, 40, a medical officer posted at Barabazar primary health centre in Purulia for the past 12 years, was recovered from her residence locked from outside. The body was recovered after her neighbours complained of a bad smell coming out of her residence.

“We have lodged a case of murder and started an investigation. Probe is on to find out the assailant,” said S. Selvamurugan, the superintendent of police in Purulia.

Police said they would have to wait for the post-mortem report as the body was decomposed.

Suchitra’s elder brother Salil Kumar Singh, a medical officer with Calcutta Municipal Corporation, accused her husband Santanu Pal of murder. Police said Santanu, along with his four-year-old son, was absconding and his mobile phone was switched off.

“I last spoke to my sister on Monday night when she was with her husband and son. However, I could not contact either my sister or her husband after Wednesday. After I reached Purulia, I came to know that her husband Santanu had called up the block medical officer on Tuesday to inform Suchitra was unwell and would not work. I firmly believe Santanu is behind the murder,” said Salil.

Her family members said Suchitra married Santanu, a medical representative, eight years ago without their consent. They said the two recently had a fight when Santanu allegedly tried to get access to Suchitra’s money.

“My sister was unhappy with her married life. There was marital discord as Santanu controlled her finances. She was trying to come out of the relationship,” said Salil.

The police said they were trying to get to the bottom of the case. “We are trying to nab the husband. That the residence was locked from outside raised our suspicions about him,” said a police officer.

The Indian Medical Association’s Purulia chapter and Service Doctors’ Forum, have protested against the alleged murder and have written to the police and health department for a high-level probe.

“The murder of the doctor in Purulia has proved the poor security of medical officers in government quarters. We demand better security in all government hospitals and doctors’ quarters,” said Sajal Biswas, a senior health official and state general secretary of the Service Doctors’ Forum.

“We demand stern action against the culprit,” said Ajit Prasad, the IMA’s Purulia chapter secretary.