Two young homemakers residing in different locations of Malda district are suspected to have been murdered on Monday.

Their family members have filed police complaints. No one has been arrested so far.

Sources said Arpita Sinha Das, 29, a homemaker who was speech-impaired and a resident of Buraburitala of Malda town under Englishbazar police station, was admitted in Malda Medical College and Hospital on Monday evening with severe burns. She soon died.

Ashok Sinha, her father, alleged she was set on fire by her husband and in-laws for dowry. “During their marriage, we had given cash and gold to her husband and in-laws. But recently, they started asking for more money and gold. As I could not satisfy them, they set her on fire. We were informed only after she was admitted to the hospital,” alleged the father, who filed a police complaint,

In the other incident, Pratima Karmakar, 30, a homemaker and mother of two small daughters, was found hanging at her in-laws’ place in Chandipur area under Chanchal police station on Monday night.

Her mother Archana Karmakar alleged that since Pratima delivered two daughters, her husband and in-laws had been torturing her regularly.

“Last night (Monday), they informed us that Pratima had committed suicide. But her body bore several injury marks. We suspect that they killed and hanged her to make it look like suicide. The police should find the truth,” said the bereaved mother.

SP Amitabha Maiti said they were waiting for post-mortem reports in both cases.

“Anybody found involved in the incidents will not be spared,” said Malda SP Amitabha Maiti.

Malda district police launches The Winners

Malda district police launched The Winners, a special 20-member team of women police personnel, to ensure the safety of women in Englishbazar and Old Malda municipal areas of the district.

The team has been provided with 10 two-wheelers for patrolling and for reaching out to women in need of help.

The women’s squad officially started patrolling from Monday but had started trial runs on Holi.

“They have been specially training by senior police officers. The team members will work in groups to prevent crimes against women,” said Amitabha Maiti, the district police chief of Malda.

Report and picture by Soumya De Sarkar