The bodies of two homemakers, who are sisters-in-law, were found hanging in a room of their home in Ashokpally, a residential area in Raiganj town, on Wednesday evening.

Police recovered the bodies and arrested their husbands. Investigations have started.

Sources said Sujata Sarkar, 35, and Barnali Roy Sarkar, 36, used to stay with their husbands and children at a rented accommodation in Ashokpally.

Suman, Sujata’s husband, and Sujan, Barnali’s husband, are brothers and both are teachers in two state-aided schools. Sujata has a daughter while Barnali has a son. Both the children are aged around five years.

According to police sources, the husbands said that on Wednesday evening, when they returned home, their wives were not seen. A room was found closed. Finally, the husbands raised an alert and then broke open the room in the presence of neighbours. and found both Barnali and Sujata hanging from a ceiling fan.

The police were informed and a team from Raiganj police station reached the spot. The police recovered the bodies and sent them for post-mortem.

“We spoke with their husbands. Our officers are waiting for post-mortem reports to know the cause of their deaths,” said Sana Akhtar, the superintendent of police of North Dinajpur.

The husbands were initially detained and then arrested. Utpal Roy, Barnali’s father, alleged that his daughter used to complain that her husband Sujan would torment her.

“Time and again, she has accused her husband of physical and mental torture. We suspect she might have been murdered and hanged. The police should find out the truth,” he said.