PALAKKAD: A team of police officers from Agali on Tuesday took a West Bengal native into custody in connection with the killing of a woman and a girl whose dismembered bodies were recovered from the Bhavani River in Attappadi on Sunday.
The accused has been identified as 35-year-old Provat Das, a native of Alipurduar. The police said that the deceased have been identified as Assam native Pronita, 25, and her daughter Joshita (four).
Police sources said Das confessed to the killings during interrogation by a three-member team that reached West Bengal on Monday evening. “While Das has not fully revealed the reason behind the murders, he confessed that he did it by himself and there were no other persons involved in the killing. He also told investigators that the woman was not his wife and that he had known her for only about two months. The child, too, was not his,” police said.
According to police, Pronita was married. Das is also married to another woman in West Bengal. The girl was born to Pronita and her husband. About two months ago, Das happened to stay in Pronita’s neighbourhood, where they met and decided to live together. They subsequently moved to Attappadi in search of employment about three weeks ago.
Police said Das would be produced before a court in Alipurduar on Wednesday, after which they would initiate proceedings to obtain a transit remand order to bring him to Kerala.
“We are hopeful of bringing Das to Kerala by Wednesday night or by Thursday morning. After completing the formalities, he will be produced at the Munsiff Magistrate Court, Attappady, Agali,” the officer said.
Earlier, the police received a breakthrough by establishing the woman’s identity with the help of a nursery supervisor who had employed the woman and Das.