Glare on couple's income

TT, Siliguri: Police investigating the murder of a couple in Bagdogra are focussing on the way they conducted their business of manpower supply to catering firms and hotels and checking if their income was proportionate to the lifestyle.

Ajay Kushwaha, 35, and his wife Meena, 34, were found bludgeoned to death on the first floor of their three-storied building at Sukantanagar in Upper Bagdogra on early Sunday morning.

"The house he owns and the décor inside indicate that he was quite well-off. The investigators are curious to know the scale of Ajay's business. They want to confirm that earnings from the business were enough to sustain such a lifestyle. We have to verify if his way of life was proportionate to his income," said a source in the Siliguri Metropolitan Police who are investigating the murder.

The probe team is also checking out whether Ajay had business links outside Bengal and his financial transactions in banks and other institutions, source said.

The police have interrogated over 40 people, including Ajay's employees, neighbours and relatives.

"We are, however, yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder. Preliminary investigations have revealed that no valuables or cash were taken away after the crime. That is why we suspect it is a planned murder. It is unlikely that the couple were killed for money or other items," said an officer.

Forensic experts are likely to arrive here from Calcutta on Tuesday to assist the probe. "We have called forensic experts to help us in the investigation. The bodies were handed over to the couple's relatives on Monday for last rites," the officer said.

The police are yet to find out if the murder was committed by a single person or not.

"There was no sign of damage to the main gate outside the building and the entrance. This is yet another reason which makes us suspect that the killer/s were known to the couple. It seems the victims opened the doors to let them come in and were then killed. We are in search of the murder weapon," said a source.

The children of Ajay and Meena - a four year old boy and three-and-half month old girl - are staying with the grandparents after the murder.

Rajkumar Rai, the father-in-law of Ajay and an ex-serviceman, who stays nearby, said the police should expedite the probe.

"We want the police to arrest all those involved in the murder of my daughter and son-in-law. We hope they would speed up the investigation," said Rai.