A mysterious murder has shaken the city of Hailakandi on Thursday.
The gruesome incident occurred in a by-lane of Toll Road in the city’s Ward No. 15.
The body of 65-year-old Tapas Purkayastha, a retired sub-engineer from the Public Health Engineering Department, was found in his home around noon.
Tapas Purkastya, who lived alone, was reportedly heard crying for help around 12 PM, and neighbours saw a young man fleeing from his house.
According to the neighbours, Tapas had been complaining about attempts by a gang of thieves to break into his house for the past few days.
It is suspected that he was attacked by the thief during the day, leading to his death.
Local youth Sudip Deb Roy mentioned that Tapas had become weak after retirement and lived alone due to family disputes.
Strangely, there was nothing valuable in his house to attract thieves, raising questions about why he was targeted.
Upon receiving the news, the police and a magistrate arrived at the scene.
Additional Superintendent of Police Samir Daptar Barua revealed that Tapas Babu had likely died the previous night, and there were no signs of injury on his body.
Since nothing was stolen and his valuables and bank documents were intact, the police are waiting for the autopsy report to determine the cause of death.
They are also examining CCTV footage from nearby houses as part of the investigation.
Furthermore, it was known that Tapas Babu’s relatives had an eye on his property. Despite living in a dilapidated house, he had 7 to 8 million rupees in his bank account. It is unclear whether he and his wife were divorced. Some locals speculate that the murder might have been planned to gain access to his bank money.
The contrasting statements from the police and locals have added to the mystery of Tapas Babu’s death.
