A 30-year-old man from Uttar Pradesh was arrested in Delhi's Anand Vihar area on Friday in connection with the murder of a 26-year-old woman in West Bengal's Baranagar, North 24 Parganas district. The accused, identified as Dharamveer Kumar, was allegedly in a relationship with the victim, Anjali Sau, and had met her through an online gaming platform.
West Bengal Police tracked Kumar to Delhi after investigating his movements following the woman's death. He will be brought to Kolkata on transit remand for further questioning, police said.
Sau's body was recovered on the night of November 10 from a flat in Lake Pally, Baranagar, belonging to her sister and brother-in-law. She occasionally stayed at the apartment, while her family home was in the nearby Dunlop area.
Preliminary post-mortem findings indicated that Sau had been physically assaulted before being strangled. She had sustained injuries to her face, back and neck. However, police said there were no signs of sexual assault.
Online gaming acquaintance, relationship dispute suspected
According to investigators, Sau and Kumar had become acquainted through online gaming and were close to each other. Police suspect that an argument over their relationship preceded the murder. A financial dispute between the two is also being investigated.
A senior officer of the Barrackpore Police Commissionerate said Kumar allegedly strangled Sau using her dupatta after physically assaulting her.
Preliminary questioning has also suggested that the murder could have been motivated by revenge following an alleged rejection in their relationship, the officer said.
Police suspect Kumar travelled to West Bengal on Sunday and checked into a lodge in Dakshineshwar. He subsequently visited Sau at the Baranagar apartment on Tuesday. The two reportedly had tea together before an argument broke out, which escalated into the fatal assault.
Investigators are also examining Sau's online gaming activities and the people she had come into contact with through the platform. Reports have indicated that she had developed an interest in PUBG and had interacted with several people online.
Accused allegedly fled to Delhi with victim's phone
After the alleged murder, Kumar reportedly left the apartment and returned to his lodge in Dakshineshwar, where he stayed for a few hours before travelling to Howrah station and boarding a train to Delhi.
He allegedly took Sau's mobile phone with him and subsequently sent around eight arbitrary messages to her parents. He also made a WhatsApp call that lasted a few seconds.
Police are investigating the purpose behind the messages and calls, as well as who was operating Sau's phone after her death.
Earlier, the victim's family had received messages from her missing mobile phone, raising suspicions about the circumstances surrounding her death. Investigators have been examining the phone's location and electronic evidence to establish the sequence of events.
The apartment was found locked when police reached the spot. Investigators have also been examining CCTV footage from the residential complex and surrounding areas to establish who entered and left the building around the time of the murder.
Police to question accused after bringing him to Kolkata
A special team of West Bengal Police tracked Kumar's movements to Delhi and arrested him in the Anand Vihar area on Friday. Investigators are now preparing to bring him back to Kolkata on transit remand.
A senior police officer said further details about the motive and the messages sent from the victim's phone would emerge during questioning.
Police initiated the murder investigation following a complaint lodged by Sau's parents. Investigators are examining the suspected relationship dispute, the possible financial disagreement and the circumstances in which the victim's mobile phone was used after her death.